boca

/BO-ka/

mouth

The primary meaning of boca is 'mouth' (of a person or animal).

boca(Noun)

fA1

mouth

of a person or animal

Also:

lips

Used informally to mean lips, though 'labios' is more specific.

📝 In Action

Abre la boca, por favor.

Open your mouth, please.

El niño se tapó la boca para no reír.

The boy covered his mouth so he wouldn't laugh.

No hables con la boca llena.

Don't talk with your mouth full.

Word Connections

Synonyms

hocico (snout, muzzle (for animals))

Common Collocations

abrir la boca – to open one's mouth
cerrar la boca – to close one's mouth / to be quiet
boca abajo – face down
boca arriba – face up

Idioms & Expressions

hacerse la boca agua – to make one's mouth water
de boca en boca – by word of mouth
irse de la boca – to let something slip, to run one's mouth
quedarse con la boca abierta – to be left speechless, amazed

💡 Grammar Points

Always Feminine: 'la boca'

Like most Spanish nouns that end in '-a', 'boca' is a feminine word. So you'll always say 'la boca' (the mouth) or 'una boca' (a mouth).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'my' instead of 'the'

Mistake: "Me duele mi boca."

Correction: Me duele la boca. (My mouth hurts.) When talking about your own body parts, Spanish usually uses words like 'el' or 'la' instead of 'mi' (my) or 'tu' (your). The first part of the sentence ('Me duele...') already makes it clear it's your own mouth.

⭐ Usage Tips

More than just eating

'Boca' is used for talking, shouting, smiling, and breathing. It's the all-purpose word for the entire mouth area and its functions.

A scenic illustration of a wide, brown river flowing directly into the vast blue ocean, clearly showing the delta where the river opens up.

Boca can also be used to mean 'opening' or 'mouth' of geographical features, like the mouth of a river.

boca(Noun)

fB1

opening

of a cave, tunnel, bottle

mouth

of a river

entrance

of a subway station, street

Also:

nozzle

of a hose

inlet

geographical feature

📝 In Action

Esperamos en la boca del metro.

We waited at the entrance of the subway.

La boca del río Amazonas es enorme.

The mouth of the Amazon River is enormous.

La luz entraba por la boca de la cueva.

Light came in through the mouth of the cave.

Word Connections

Synonyms

entrada (entrance)
apertura (opening)
embocadura (mouth (of a river, street))

Common Collocations

la boca del río – the mouth of the river
la boca de la botella – the mouth of the bottle
la boca de un volcán – the mouth of a volcano

⭐ Usage Tips

A Visual Connection

Think of this meaning as an extension of the first one. Just like a person's mouth is an opening, Spanish uses 'boca' for any opening that looks like one: the 'mouth' of a river where it opens to the sea, the 'mouth' of a cave, or the 'mouth' of a subway station where people go in and out.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: boca

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'boca' to mean an 'entrance' or 'opening'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

bocado(mouthful, bite) - noun

bocadillo(sandwich (on a baguette-style bread)) - noun

boquilla(mouthpiece, nozzle, cigarette holder) - noun

desembocar(to flow into, lead to) - verb

abrebocas(appetizer, snack) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'boca' and 'labios'?

'Boca' is the whole mouth—the opening, and everything inside like your teeth and tongue. 'Labios' refers only to the lips on the outside. You use your 'boca' to eat and talk, and your 'labios' to kiss.

Why do people say '¡Cierra la boca!'? Is it rude?

It can be! '¡Cierra la boca!' means 'Shut your mouth!' and is very direct and often rude, just like in English. A more polite way to ask someone to be quiet is simply 'Silencio, por favor' (Silence, please).