rodilla
/roˈdiʝa/feminine
The Spanish word for knee is rodilla. Wiktionary also lists hinojo.
Meaning: joint in the middle of the leg and area around it (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| rodilla | /roˈdiʝa/ /roˈdiʎa/ |
feminine |
| hinojo | /iˈnoxo/ | masculine |
Both rodilla and hinojo refer to the joint in the middle of the leg and the area around it.
Which one should you use?
rodilla is the standard feminine noun, while hinojo is a masculine form used in formal contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hinojo is considered formal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of rodilla is las rodillas.
How do you pronounce it?
/roˈdiʝa/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When talking about your own knee, Spanish speakers use the definite article la instead of the possessive adjective mi in many contexts, such as Me duele la rodilla.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word hinojo is a homonym that can refer to either a 'knee' or the 'fennel' herb.
- The word rodilla is actually a diminutive of the Latin word for 'wheel', rota.
- The term rodillera refers to a 'kneepad', and the suffix -era is frequently used in Spanish to create words for protective gear or containers.
Examples in context
- Me duele la rodilla.My knee aches.This sentence is useful for expressing that your rodilla aches.Tatoeba #5058390 by don_ramon, translation #6588377 by Eccles17
- Me raspé la rodilla.I scraped my knee.This sentence is useful for describing how you scraped your rodilla.Tatoeba #10323643 by Seael, translation #3732791 by CK
- Me golpeé la rodilla.I bumped my knee.This sentence is useful for describing how you bumped your rodilla.Tatoeba #8031401 by Seael, translation #3455746 by tomo
- Me lastimé la rodilla jugando fútbol.I hurt my knee playing soccer.
- Tengo dolor en la rodilla desde hace varios días.I have had knee pain for several days.
- Me caí y me golpeé la rodillita.I fell and bumped my little knee.
- 43 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maria and Mateo are at a gym.
- MaríaMateo, ¿te duele la rodilla derecha?Mateo, does your right knee hurt?
- MateoSí, me molesta la rodilla al saltar.Yes, my knee bothers me when jumping.
- MaríaDeberías descansar esa rodilla hoy.You should rest that knee today.
- MateoTienes razón, María. Voy a parar.You are right, María. I am going to stop.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “knee” translations and entries rodilla, hinojo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hinojo, rodilla, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
