pelo
everyday
Hair is pelo in everyday Mexican speech and cabello in more careful or written language. Both are normal.
Meaning: hair on the head (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| pelo | everyday |
| cabello | neutral, formal |
Cabello is common in shampoo ads and at salons. Friends and family say pelo as in Me lavé el pelo.
Which one should you use?
Pelo can also mean a single hair or body hair, while cabello refers to the hair on the head.
How does it change in a sentence?
Pelo is singular in Spanish when it means all the hair on someone's head: Tiene el pelo largo.
Did you know?
- The Spanish cabello comes from Latin capillus, which is also behind the English word "capillary".
Examples in context
- Tienes el pelo muy bonito.You have very pretty hair.
- Necesito un champú para cabello seco.I need a shampoo for dry hair.
- Me lavo el pelo cada dos días.I wash my hair every two days.
Example conversation
Rosa compliments her cousin Mariana at a family party in Veracruz.
- RosaMariana, qué bonito te quedó el pelo.Mariana, your hair looks so nice.
- MarianaGracias, me hice un tratamiento para el cabello.Thanks, I got a hair treatment.
- RosaSe nota.It shows.
