brazo
/ˈbɾaθo/masculine
The English word arm is brazo in Spanish.
Brazo refers to the upper appendage from the shoulder to the wrist. It is the most common and standard way to say arm in Spanish. You may also encounter the idiom dar el brazo a torcer, which means to give in or to yield.
Meaning: upper appendage from shoulder to wrist (noun)
Which one should you use?
While brazo is the standard term for an arm, you may see miembro superior or extremidad superior used in specific professional settings.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of brazo is brazos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbɾaθo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When talking about body parts in Spanish, avoid using possessive adjectives like "my" (mi). Instead of saying "mi brazo", you should use the definite article "el brazo" (the arm).
Did you know?
- The Greek root of brazo actually means 'the shorter one', referring to the arm as a shorter appendage compared to the leg.
- In Spanish, brazo is used to describe the arm of a chair, a lamp or a crane.
- When talking about a 'strong arm' in a political or social sense, Spanish uses brazo fuerte to describe someone who enforces power.
Examples in context
- Él alzó el brazo.He raised his arm.This sentence shows how to use brazo to describe a physical action.Tatoeba #1021886 by Shishir, translation #299198 by CK
- Me rompí el brazo.I broke my arm.This sentence uses brazo to describe an injury.Tatoeba #568115 by Shishir, translation #262315 by CK
- Me duele el brazo.My arm hurts.This sentence uses brazo to describe physical pain.Tatoeba #1321853 by marcelostockle, translation #1369200 by sacredceltic
- 165 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are at a gym.
- DanielSiento mucha tensión en el brazo.I feel a lot of tension in my arm.
- SofíaDeberías descansar el brazo un poco, Daniel.You should rest your arm a bit, Daniel.
- Daniel¿Crees que es por el ejercicio?Do you think it is because of the exercise?
- SofíaProbablemente, descansa tu brazo hoy.Probably, rest your arm today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “arm” translations and entries brazo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries brazo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
