piernas largas
/pjeɾnas laɾɡas/from spelling rules
In Spanish, long legs is translated as piernas largas.
The phrase is used to describe someone whose limbs from the hip to the ankle are greater in length than average.
What does it mean word for word?
piernas means legs and largas means long (feminine plural).
Which one should you use?
While piernas largas is the standard way to express the idea, Extremidades inferiores largas is a formal alternative meaning long lower limbs and Patas de cigüeña is a colloquial phrase that literally translates to stork legs.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase follows Spanish adjective agreement. Because pierna is a feminine noun, the adjective must take the feminine ending -a, resulting in piernas largas. If you are referring to only one long leg, you would use the singular form pierna larga.
How do you pronounce it?
/pjeɾnas laɾɡas/
Did you know?
- While piernas refers to human legs, the word patas is used for the legs of animals and furniture. Using patas for a human is often a deliberate choice to be humorous, insulting or to imply the person is clumsy.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, if you describe someone as having piernas de gacela (gazelle legs), you are actually paying them a compliment regarding their elegance and athleticism.
- The adjective largo is versatile and can describe either physical length, such as piernas largas, or a length of time.
Examples in context
- Él tiene piernas largas.He has long legs.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use piernas largas in a simple description.Tatoeba #1287704 by marcelostockle, translation #287067 by CK
- Ana es una modelo con piernas largas y elegantes.Ana is a model with long and elegant legs.
- La bailarina tiene extremidades inferiores largas y flexibles.The dancer has long and flexible lower limbs.
- ¡Wow, mira esas patas de cigüeña!Wow, look at those stork legs!
- Ella tiene piernas largas y elegantes.She has long and elegant legs.
- Ese modelo tiene piernas largas.That model has long legs.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are discussing a dancer they saw.
- Mateo¿Viste a la bailarina?Did you see the dancer?
- SofíaSí, tiene piernas largas.Yes, she has long legs.
- MateoEs muy alta también.She is very tall too.
- SofíaSí, es impresionante.Yes, she is impressive.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
