Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| lunar | /luˈnaɾ/ | masculine |
| mancha de nacimiento | /mant͡ʃa de naθimjento/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /mant͡ʃa de nasimjento/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
In Spanish, both terms can refer to a mark on the skin formed before birth. However, while mancha de nacimiento is the literal term for a birthmark, native speakers most commonly use lunar to refer to any pigmented spot on the skin, which includes both birthmarks and moles.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mancha de nacimiento is a literal construction where mancha means "stain" or "spot" and de nacimiento means "of birth".
Which one should you use?
Use mancha de nacimiento if you want to be clinically precise or emphasize that the mark has been present since birth. In common usage, lunar is the preferred word for any skin spot, including birthmarks and moles.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form mancha de nacimiento is a feminine noun, while lunar is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/luˈnaɾ/
Did you know?
- Some traditions in Spanish-speaking cultures involve reading a person's destiny by analyzing the placement of lunares on the body.
- The word lunar comes from the Latin word for 'moon'. This is because the small round spots on the skin were thought to resemble the full moon.
- In Spanish, the word mancha is used figuratively to describe a 'stain' on someone's reputation or honor.
Examples in context
- La niña tiene unas marcas de nacimiento en el brazo.The girl has birthmarks on her arm.
- Mi sobrino tiene una mancha de nacimiento en la pierna.My nephew has a birthmark on his leg.
- Ella nació con una pinta en la mejilla.She was born with a birthmark on her cheek.
- Tiene un lunar en el brazo.He has a birthmark on his arm.
- Ese lunar es muy pequeño.That birthmark is very small.
Example conversation
Mateo and María are looking at a photo of a baby.
- MateoMira este lunar en su frente.Look at this birthmark on his forehead.
- MaríaEs un lunar muy bonito.It is a very pretty birthmark.
- MateoSí, Mateo se parece mucho a su padre.Yes, Mateo looks a lot like his father.
- MaríaEs verdad, es idéntico.It is true, he is identical.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “birthmark” translations and entries lunar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, lunar, mancha, nacimiento, CC BY-SA 4.0.
