muñeca
neutral, Mexico
The wrist is muñeca in Mexican Spanish, as in the rest of the Spanish-speaking world. The same word also means "doll".
In Mexico people say Me duele la muñeca for a sore wrist. A watch on the wrist is un reloj de muñeca.
Meaning: joint between hand and forearm (noun)
Which one should you use?
Mexico has no separate local word for wrist. Context tells you whether muñeca means a body part or a toy.
How does it change in a sentence?
Muñeca is feminine: la muñeca, las muñecas.
Did you know?
- In Spanish muñeca means both "wrist" and "doll", and the two senses probably share an old root.
Examples in context
- Me torcí la muñeca jugando básquet.I sprained my wrist playing basketball.
- Llevo el reloj en la muñeca izquierda.I wear the watch on my left wrist.
- Me duele la muñeca derecha.My right wrist hurts.
Example conversation
Paciente Rosa visits Doctor Vega at a clinic in Monterrey.
- Doctor Vega¿Qué le pasó, señora?What happened, ma'am?
- RosaMe caí y me duele la muñeca.I fell and my wrist hurts.
- Doctor VegaVamos a hacerle una radiografía.We'll take an X-ray.
