puntas de pies (los)
feminine, plural
The English word "tiptoes" can be translated into Spanish as puntas de pies (los). Wiktionary also lists puntas podales and puntas de ortejos (los).
Meaning: Translations (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| puntas de pies (los) | feminine, plural | |
| puntas podales | /puntas podales/ (from spelling rules) | feminine, plural |
| puntas de ortejos (los) | feminine, plural |
If you want to express the adverbial phrase "on tiptoes" (such as when walking), the standard idiomatic expression is de puntillas. To say "to walk on tiptoes," you would use the verb caminar or andar followed by the phrase de puntillas.
Did you know?
- While puntas de pies is common, the word puntillas actually refers to small, decorative lace or trim in many contexts. This is why the expression for walking on tiptoe, de puntillas, uses the diminutive form.
- Using the phrase de puntillas can be used figuratively in Spanish to describe someone acting with extreme caution or hesitancy in a delicate social situation.
- The word puntas comes from the Latin puncta, which is also the root for the English word 'point'.
Examples in context
- Al bailar ballet, debes estar siempre en las puntas de los dedos de los pies para lograr una buena postura.When dancing ballet, you should always be on your tiptoes to maintain good posture.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tiptoes” translations, 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.
