pelo afro
/pelo afɾo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "nappy hair" can be translated into Spanish as pelo afro.
Tightly curled or kinky hair typical of people of African descent.
Which one should you use?
Pelo afro is used informally to describe African hair types or hair with tight coils or curls. For more formal descriptions of hair that is tightly curled or coiled, you can use Cabello crespo or Cabello afro.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, the informal phrase Pelo chino is commonly used to describe hair with tight curls or coils.
How do you pronounce it?
/pelo afɾo/
Did you know?
- Despite the similarity in sound, chino in the context of pelo chino does not refer to the hair of people from China, which is typically straight.
- In some Caribbean Spanish dialects, the term pelo malo was historically used to describe kinky hair, though it is now often viewed as pejorative.
- Depending on the region, calling someone's hair pelo de resorte (spring hair) can be a common, highly informal way to describe very tight, coiled textures.
Examples in context
- Ella tiene un hermoso pelo afro.She has beautiful nappy hair.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are talking about hairstyles.
- JavierSofía, ¿te gusta el pelo afro?Sofía, do you like afro hair?
- SofíaSí, me parece un estilo muy bonito.Yes, I think it is a very pretty style.
- JavierMi prima tiene el pelo afro y es genial.My cousin has afro hair and it is great.
- SofíaEs un tipo de cabello con mucha personalidad.It is a type of hair with a lot of personality.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
