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boca

BO-kaˈboka

“boca” means “mouth” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

mouth

Also: lips
NounfA1
A close-up illustration of a human mouth, slightly open, showing pink lips and a few white teeth, set against skin.

📝 In Action

Abre la boca, por favor.

A1

Open your mouth, please.

El niño se tapó la boca para no reír.

A2

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

No hables con la boca llena.

B1

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

opening, mouth, entrance

Also: nozzle, inlet
NounfB1
Argentina
A scenic illustration of a wide, brown river flowing directly into the vast blue ocean, clearly showing the delta where the river opens up.

📝 In Action

Esperamos en la boca del metro.

A2

We waited at the entrance of the subway.

La boca del río Amazonas es enorme.

B1

The mouth of the Amazon River is enormous.

La luz entraba por la boca de la cueva.

B2

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

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "boca" in Spanish:

entrance→inlet→lips→mouth→nozzle→opening→

✏️ 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
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'bucca', which originally meant 'cheek'. In everyday spoken Latin, it eventually replaced the more formal word 'os' for 'mouth', and that's the word that carried over into Spanish.

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: bocaItalian: boccaFrench: bouche

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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).