el pelo es castaño
/el pelo es kastaɲo/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'hair is brown' is translated into Spanish as el pelo es castaño.
This phrase is used to describe a person who has brown hair. While marrón is the general Spanish word for the color brown, castaño is the specific term used when describing the color of hair or eyes.
Which one should you use?
The word castaño is used specifically for hair and eyes, whereas marrón is the general word for the color brown.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase el pelo es castaño is commonly used. In Latin American countries, it is common to use the phrase El cabello es marrón.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective castaño must agree in gender with the masculine noun pelo. You can also use cabello as a more formal or literary synonym for pelo.
How do you pronounce it?
/el pelo es kastaɲo/
Did you know?
- The English word 'pile', referring to a heap of something soft or fine, shares the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root as the Spanish word pelo.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone castaño when they have very dark hair can be a way to describe them as 'brunette' rather than 'black-haired'.
- While pelo refers to hair in general, cabello is used specifically for the hair on a human head in many formal contexts.
Examples in context
- El cabello de mi jefe es de color marrón.My boss's hair is brown.
- Su pelo es de color marrón claro.Her hair is light brown.
- Mi mejor amiga tiene el pelo marrón.My best friend has brown hair.
- ¿Cómo es tu pretendiente? Tiene el pelo castaño claro.What's your suitor like? He has light brown hair.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are describing a friend.
- Mateo¿Cómo es tu prima, Elena?What does your cousin look like, Elena?
- ElenaEs bajita y el pelo es castaño.She is short and her hair is brown.
- Mateo¿Tiene los ojos verdes?Does she have green eyes?
- ElenaNo, tiene los ojos marrones.No, she has brown eyes.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries castaño, el, es, pelo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
