muela
/ˈmwela/feminine
The English word 'molar' is translated into Spanish as muela. Wiktionary also lists diente molar and molar.
Meaning: back tooth (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| muela | /ˈmwela/ | feminine |
| diente molar | /djente molaɾ/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| molar | /moˈlaɾ/ | masculine |
The verb sacar is the standard way to describe the process of having a tooth pulled by a dentist, as seen in the phrase sacar una muela.
Which one should you use?
There are several ways to refer to this tooth depending on the context. Muela is the much more common word used in everyday conversation, whereas diente molar is the technical anatomical term. Additionally, the word molar can function as an adjective meaning 'of or relating to the molar teeth'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine noun muela forms its plural by adding -s to become muelas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmwela/
Did you know?
- The slang use of molar to mean 'to be cool' is believed to have been borrowed from Caló, the mixed language spoken by the Romani people in Spain.
- When referring specifically to a wisdom tooth, Spanish speakers use the phrase muela del juicio, which translates literally to 'molar of judgment'.
- In some Spanish-speaking contexts, the term molar can be used as slang to mean 'to be cool' or 'to be great'.
Examples in context
- Me tuvieron que sacar una muela.I had to get a molar extracted.This sentence is useful for describing the experience of having a muela extracted.Tatoeba #875185 by Shishir, translation #706793 by darinmex
- El diente molar está ubicado en la parte posterior de la bocaThe molar tooth is located at the back of the mouth
- El molar es uno de los tipos de dientes más grandesThe molar is one of the largest types of teeth
- El odontólogo realizará una restauración en una pieza molarThe dentist will perform a restoration on a molar
- Me duele la muela del fondoMy back molar is hurting
- Tengo que cepillar bien la muela del fondo.I have to brush the back molar well.
- Me duele la muela de abajo.My bottom molar hurts.
Example conversation
Daniel is telling María about his visit to the dentist.
- MaríaMaría, ¿cómo te fue en el dentista?María, how did it go at the dentist?
- DanielMe dijeron que tengo una muela rota.They told me that I have a broken molar.
- María¡Qué mal! ¿Te duele mucho?That's too bad! Does it hurt a lot?
- DanielSí, me molesta al masticar.Yes, it bothers me when I chew.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “molar” translations and entries muela, molar, 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 diente, molar, muela, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
