la boca
/la boka/from spelling rules
The English phrase "the mouth" is translated into Spanish as la boca.
La boca is used to refer to the anatomical part of the face used for eating and speaking. Beyond biology, it is also commonly used to describe the opening or mouth of a river, a cave or a street.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of the feminine definite article la (the) and the noun boca (mouth).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Caribbean countries such as Cuba and the Dominican Republic, you might hear the colloquial term trampa used to refer to the mouth.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form is las bocas, where both the article and the noun take the feminine plural suffix -as.
What mistakes should you avoid?
In medical or scientific contexts, el orificio bucal is a formal term for the mouth.
Did you know?
- When describing the way someone is lying down, the phrase boca arriba means 'face up' while boca abajo means 'face down'.
- While la boca refers to the opening, its Latin ancestor bucca actually meant 'cheek'.
- If you want to say someone is 'full of mouth' or has a big mouth, you might use the term bocazas to describe a person who speaks without thinking.
Examples in context
- Él tiene la boca abierta.He has his mouth open.
Example conversation
Mateo is at the dentist's office with María.
- MateoMaría, ¿me ayudas a abrir la boca?María, can you help me open my mouth?
- MaríaSí, Mateo, abre la boca más.Yes, Mateo, open your mouth more.
- MateoAhora ya no me duele la boca.Now my mouth doesn't hurt anymore.
- MaríaQué bueno que ya estés bien.It's great that you are okay now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries boca, la, CC BY-SA 4.0.
