gira la cabeza
/xiɾa la kabeθa/from spelling rules
To say 'turn your head' in Spanish, use gira la cabeza.
This phrase is used to instruct someone to rotate their head to look in a different direction.
Which one should you use?
Gira la cabeza and Voltea la cabeza are used in informal settings, while Gire la cabeza and Voltee la cabeza are the formal versions. To address a group of people, use giren la cabeza.
How does it change in a sentence?
gira la cabeza is the informal imperative used when giving a command to a single person you know well. gire la cabeza is the formal imperative used when giving a command to a single person in a respectful or professional context. giren la cabeza is the imperative used when giving a command to a group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
/xiɾa la kabeθa/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the verb girar is also used to describe a concert tour, called a gira.
- The word cabeza traces back to the Latin diminutive capitium, which is a smaller version of 'caput' meaning 'head'.
- The word gira shares a root with the English word 'gyroscope', as both come from the Greek word for 'turn'.
Examples in context
- Gira la cabeza a la derecha.Turn your head to the right.
- Gira la cabeza para la foto.Turn your head for the photo.
- Gira la cabeza para ver el paisaje.Turn your head to see the landscape.
Example conversation
A photographer is directing a model during a photoshoot.
- SofíaGira la cabeza un poco, Mateo.Turn your head a little, Mateo.
- Mateo¿Así está bien, Sofía?Is it okay like this, Sofía?
- SofíaSí, ahora gira la cabeza hacia la luz.Yes, now turn your head toward the light.
- MateoEntendido, lo hago ahora.Understood, I'll do it now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cabeza, gira, la, CC BY-SA 4.0.
