encías
/enθias/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'gums' is encías.
The term refers to the pink fleshy tissue in the mouth that holds the teeth in place.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form of the word is encía. When referring to body parts like 'gums' in Spanish, it is common to use the definite article las instead of a possessive adjective (such as 'my' or 'your').
How do you pronounce it?
/enθias/
Did you know?
- The word encía is a cognate of the English word 'gingiva' through their shared Latin root, though the Spanish version evolved more drastically in pronunciation.
- In some Latin American countries, the term encía is used in dentistry, but people might colloquially refer to the area around the teeth as la carne or 'the flesh'.
- While encía refers to the gums, the word encinar refers to planting holm oaks, showing how disparate meanings can emerge from similar phonetic roots in Spanish.
Examples in context
- Me sangran las encías.I have bleeding gums.This sentence is useful for describing bleeding gums using encías.Tatoeba #564529 by Shishir, translation #263622 by CM
- Tengo rojas las encías.My gums are red.This sentence is useful for describing red gums using encías.Tatoeba #5414197 by Seael, translation #10610388 by sangelo
- ¿A ti te sangran las encías?Do your gums bleed?This sentence is useful for asking a question about bleeding gums using encías.Tatoeba #1313775 by marcelostockle, translation #263621 by CK
- Necesito cepillarme las encías con cuidadoI need to brush my gums carefully
- El tejido gingival puede inflamarse debido a la acumulación de placaThe gum tissue can become inflamed due to plaque buildup
- No olvides cepillar tus encías después de cada comida.Don't forget to brush your gums after each meal.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are talking at a dentist's office.
- Alejandro¿Te duele algo en las encías, Sofía?Does anything hurt in your gums, Sofía?
- SofíaSí, siento inflamación en las encías.Yes, I feel swelling in my gums.
- AlejandroEl dentista revisará tus encías hoy.The dentist will check your gums today.
- SofíaEspero que no sea nada grave.I hope it is nothing serious.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
