mechas
/met͡ʃas/from spelling rules
The English phrase "hair highlights" can be translated into Spanish as mechas.
The term refers to light-colored streaks of hair added to a darker base to create a natural or stylized look. If the highlights are specifically achieved through bleaching, you can use the phrase mechas decoloradas.
What does it mean word for word?
The word mechas literally refers to strands, locks or streaks of hair.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and Central America, the term luces en el cabello is used to describe hair highlights.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is almost always used in the plural form when referring to hair highlights.
How do you pronounce it?
/metʃas/
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, mechas refers to the fuses used to ignite explosives, linking the term for hair highlights to the world of pyrotechnics.
- In a medical setting, the word mechas can describe a surgical wick or a plug used to treat an open wound.
- While mechas describes the result, Spanish stylists often use the French term balayage to specify the hand-painting technique used to achieve the look.
Examples in context
- Tengo ganas de hacerme reflejos en el cabello este verano.I feel like getting hair highlights this summer.
- Ella luce unos reflejos en el cabello muy naturales.She sports very natural-looking hair highlights.
- Me encanta cómo se ven las mechas en el pelo de Ana.I love how Ana's hair highlights look.
- Voy a teñirme el pelo para ponerme rayitos.I'm going to dye my hair to get highlights.
- Quiero ponerme luces en el cabello, pero naturales, ¿sabes?I want to get hair highlights, but natural-looking, you know?
- Voy a la peluquería para que me hagan unos mechones claritos.I'm going to the hairdresser to get some light hair highlights.
- Quiero hacerme reflejos en el cabello.I want to get hair highlights.
- ¿Qué tipo de reflejos me recomendaría para este corte?What type of highlights would you recommend for this haircut?
- ¿Cuánto cuesta ponerse mechas en el pelo?How much does getting hair highlights cost?
- Me gustaría un estilo de mechas más naturales.I would like a more natural style of highlights.
- Me quiero hacer unas mechas.I want to get some highlights.
- Quiero hacerme unas mechas este mes.I want to get some hair highlights this month.
- Esas mechas rubias te quedan muy bien.Those blonde highlights look very good on you.
- El peluquero me hizo unas mechas naturales.The hairdresser gave me some natural highlights.
Example conversation
At a hair salon, María is discussing a new look with Mateo.
- María¿Te gustan mis nuevas mechas?Do you like my new highlights?
- MateoSí, te ves muy diferente y elegante.Yes, you look very different and elegant.
- MaríaGracias, me las hice ayer.Thanks, I got them done yesterday.
- MateoTe sientan de maravilla, María.They suit you wonderfully, María.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
