talón
/taˈlon/masculine
The Spanish word for heel is talón. It is also spelled calcaño or carcañal. Wiktionary also lists calcañar and calcañal.
Meaning: anatomy: part of the foot (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| talón | /taˈlon/ | masculine |
| calcaño | /kalˈkaɲo/ | masculine, alternative form |
| calcañar | /kalkaˈɲaɾ/ | masculine |
| calcañal | /kalkaˈɲal/ | masculine |
| carcañal | /kaɾkaˈɲal/ | masculine, alternative form |
| carcaño | /kaɾkaɲo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
In an anatomical context, use these terms to refer to the back part of the foot. The phrase talón de Aquiles is used metaphorically in Spanish to describe a person's vulnerability or weak point, just as in English.
Which one should you use?
talón is the standard term, while calcañar, calcaño, calcañal and carcañal or carcaño are alternative spellings or variations.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is a masculine noun. The plural form of 'talón' is 'talones'.
How do you pronounce it?
/taˈlon/
Did you know?
- While English uses 'heel' for both the foot and the back of a shoe, Spanish uses talón for the body part but tacón for the shoe's heel.
- In some contexts, talón refers to the bottom section of a ticket, coupon or check that is torn off and kept for records.
- The word talón is a linguistic cognate of the English word 'talon', which refers to the claw of a bird of prey.
Examples in context
- Todos tienen un talón de Aquiles.Everyone has an Achilles' heel.This sentence demonstrates the idiomatic use of talón.Tatoeba #2239938 by marcelostockle, translation #13613122 by araneo
- Mi talón izquierdo está inflamado.My left heel is inflamed.This sentence shows the anatomical use of talón regarding inflammation.Tatoeba #4289952 by DarkHollow, translation #1656490 by Mofli
- Aquiles tenía un talón vulnerable.Achilles had a vulnerable heel.This sentence provides an example of the mythological reference using talón.Tatoeba #13022413 by Eremon, translation #10386936 by DJ_Saidez
- Junto.Dog walks closely by the trainer's side.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María is telling Daniel about a blister on her foot.
- MaríaMe salió una ampolla en el talón.I got a blister on my heel.
- DanielEso duele mucho, María.That hurts a lot, María.
- MaríaSí, me lastima el talón al caminar.Yes, my heel hurts when I walk.
- DanielDeberías ponerte una venda, Daniel ayudará.You should put on a bandage, Daniel will help.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “heel” translations and entries talón, calcaño, calcañar, calcañal, carcañal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries calcañal, calcañar, calcaño, talón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
