cabello medio
/kabeʝo medjo/from spelling rules
cabello medio is the Spanish phrase for medium hair.
The phrase is used to describe hair that is neither short nor long in length. You can further describe the texture of the hair by adding adjectives such as liso, which means straight.
Which one should you use?
For example, you might use cabello de longitud media to be very specific about the length or pelo a la altura de los hombros if you are describing hair that specifically reaches the shoulders.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to describe hair that is slightly longer than a medium length, it is common to use the phrase cabello medio largo (medium-long hair) instead of just using medio.
Did you know?
- The word medio was borrowed directly from Latin instead of evolving naturally in Old Spanish, possibly because the expected evolution would have sounded like the Spanish verb mear, meaning 'to piss'.
- In Spanish, the distinction between cabello and pelo can be subtle, as cabello typically refers specifically to the hair on a human head, whereas pelo can refer to any hair or animal fur.
- While you might use cabello for hair, the word pelo is much more common in daily conversation when talking about your own hair.
Examples in context
- El estilista recomienda mantener el cabello de longitud media en este tipo de corte.The stylist recommends keeping medium-length hair for this type of haircut.
- El peinado queda mejor en cabello semilargo.The hairstyle looks better on medium-length hair.
- El corte bob es ideal para cabello a la altura de los hombros.The bob haircut is perfect for shoulder-length hair.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are talking about hairstyles at a salon.
- DanielElena, ¿te gusta mi nuevo corte?Elena, do you like my new cut?
- ElenaSí, el cabello medio te queda bien.Yes, medium hair looks good on you.
- DanielGracias, quería algo diferente.Thanks, I wanted something different.
- ElenaEs un estilo muy moderno.It is a very modern style.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cabello, medio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
