Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| corte (piloso / capilar) | /ˈkoɾte piˈloso kapiˈlaɾ/ (word by word) | masculine |
| corte de pelo / cabello | /ˈkoɾte de ˈpelo kaˈbeʝo/ (word by word) | masculine |
To refer to the act of cutting hair, the standard term is corte de pelo. If you are looking for a general hair styling or grooming rather than just a trim, you can use arreglo del cabello. For a buzz cut or a very close shave, the term rapada is used.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase corte de pelo literally means "cut of hair".
Which one should you use?
While corte de pelo is the standard term, corte de cabello is also used, particularly in Mexico and parts of Central America. The shortened form corte is a more informal way to say "haircut".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, people commonly use corte de pelo or simply corte to refer to a haircut. In Mexico and some parts of Central America, corte de cabello is more common.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "to get a haircut", Spanish speakers typically use the reflexive verb phrase cortarse el pelo.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkoɾte piˈloso kapiˈlaɾ/
Did you know?
- The term rapada refers to a shaved head and is derived from the verb rapar, which historically referred to the act of shaving a monk's tonsure.
- While pelo is used for all body hair, cabello is specifically reserved for the hair on the head, making the choice of word a marker of which part of the body is being cut.
- The word corte is a polysemous term that can mean 'haircut', but also 'a cut' or even 'a court' depending on the context.
Examples in context
- Me gustaría un corte de pelo corto, por favor.I would like a short haircut, please.
- No, solo el corte, por favor.No, just the haircut, please.
- Sí, me gustaría un color completamente diferente y un corte moderno.Yes, I would like a completely different color and a modern cut.
- Voy a raparme la cabeza.I'm going to shave my head.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “haircut” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (corte, piloso, capilar, de, pelo, cabello) and can differ in connected speech.
