cuello
/ˈkweʝo/masculine
The Spanish word for neck is cuello. Wiktionary also lists pescuezo.
Meaning: part of body connecting the head and the trunk (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cuello | /ˈkweʝo/ | masculine |
| pescuezo | /pesˈkweθo/ /pesˈkweso/ |
masculine |
Both cuello and pescuezo refer to the part of the body connecting the head and the trunk. The phrase cuello de botella is an idiomatic expression used metaphorically to describe a 'bottleneck' in a process or system, similar to its use in English. Related verbs include apercollar and apergollar, which mean to hang by the neck, strangle or kill.
Which one should you use?
While cuello is the standard term for a human neck, pescuezo is often used when referring to the necks of animals or in a more colloquial, sometimes crude, sense when referring to humans.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, cuello is the favored term in both formal and informal contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both cuello and pescuezo are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkweʝo/
Did you know?
- The English word 'collar' is actually a linguistic cousin to cuello, as both evolved from the same Latin roots.
- In Spanish, the word cuello is used for both the anatomical neck and the collar of a shirt.
Examples in context
- Me duele el cuello.My neck hurts.This sentence shows how to express physical pain in the cuello.Tatoeba #2471642 by BoriQa, translation #2471465 by Hybrid
- Se rompió el cuello.He broke his neck.This sentence demonstrates a physical injury involving the cuello.Tatoeba #13570396 by Seael, translation #13570390 by rul
- Él me besó el cuello.He kissed my neck.This sentence illustrates a physical action involving the cuello.Tatoeba #2260278 by marcelostockle, translation #2260273 by Hybrid
- El médico examinó su cuello para buscar signos de inflamación.The doctor examined her neck for signs of inflammation.
- Le duele el cuello después de tantas horas frente a la computadora.His/her neck hurts after so many hours in front of the computer.
- Después de bailar toda la noche, tenía dolor en el pescuezo.After dancing all night, he/she had pain in the neck.
- 67 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María is helping Mateo put on a sweater.
- MaríaEste suéter tiene el cuello muy apretado.This sweater has a very tight neck.
- MateoSí, Mateo siente que le aprieta el cuello.Yes, Mateo feels that it is squeezing his neck.
- MaríaPrueba con otro que sea más ancho.Try another one that is wider.
- MateoTienes razón, María. Buscaré uno más cómodo.You are right, María. I will look for a more comfortable one.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “neck” translations and entries cuello, pescuezo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuello, pescuezo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
