brazos

/BRAH-sohs/

arms

In the context of anatomy, 'brazos' refers to human or animal limbs.

brazos(Noun)

mA1

arms

human or animal limbs

📝 In Action

Necesitas estirar los brazos antes de nadar.

You need to stretch your arms before swimming.

Tenía muchos paquetes en los brazos y no podía abrir la puerta.

She had many packages in her arms and couldn't open the door.

Word Connections

Synonyms

extremidades superiores (upper limbs)

Common Collocations

abrir los brazos – to open one's arms
cruzar los brazos – to fold one's arms

Idioms & Expressions

Estar con los brazos cruzados – To be doing nothing, to be idle or passive (literally: to be with crossed arms)

💡 Grammar Points

Natural Plural Usage

In Spanish, body parts are often referred to using the definite article (el, la, los, las) instead of possessive adjectives (my, your). For example: 'Me duelen los brazos' (My arms hurt).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Mis brazos'

Mistake: "Me duelen mis brazos."

Correction: Me duelen los brazos. (The reflexive structure indicates whose arms they are, making 'mis' redundant and unnatural.)

A high quality simple colorful storybook illustration showing two stylized figures wrapping their arms around each other in a comforting embrace.

When used figuratively, 'brazos' can describe an embrace or a comforting hug.

brazos(Noun)

mB1

embrace

as in a hug or comforting hold

Also:

power

influence or control (often negative)

📝 In Action

Encontró consuelo en los brazos de su abuela.

She found comfort in her grandmother's embrace (or arms).

La joven cayó en los brazos de la delincuencia.

The young woman fell into the grasp (or power) of crime.

Word Connections

Synonyms

abrazo (hug)
regazo (lap/bosom)

Common Collocations

correr a los brazos – to run into the arms of

Idioms & Expressions

Caer en los brazos de Morfeo – To fall deeply asleep

⭐ Usage Tips

Figurative Context

When 'brazos' is used with verbs of movement (correr, caer), it usually refers to an emotional refuge or influence, not just the physical limbs.

A high quality simple colorful storybook illustration depicting a wide blue river that splits into two smaller, distinct flowing branches.

'Brazos' can also be used to refer to the branches of a river or organization.

brazos(Noun)

mB2

branches

of a river or organization

Also:

support rods

of a machine or chair

sections

of a system

📝 In Action

El delta del río se divide en varios brazos antes de llegar al mar.

The river delta divides into several branches before reaching the sea.

Tuvimos que reemplazar los brazos de la grúa hidráulica.

We had to replace the support arms of the hydraulic crane.

Word Connections

Synonyms

ramas (branches (of trees or rivers))
secciones (sections)

⭐ Usage Tips

Context Clues

If you hear 'brazos' in a geological or mechanical context, think 'section' or 'support structure' rather than the human body part.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: brazos

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'brazos' in its most common, literal sense?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

brazo(arm (singular)) - noun

bracear(to flail one's arms (e.g., while swimming)) - verb

abrazar(to hug/embrace) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'brazos' ever mean 'a hug'?

Yes, indirectly. While the direct translation for 'hug' is 'abrazo' (singular), 'brazos' is used in phrases like 'recibir en sus brazos' (to receive in one's arms), which strongly implies a comforting embrace.

How do I know when to use 'los brazos' versus 'mis brazos'?

When talking about pain, injury, or basic actions involving your own arms, use 'los brazos' along with a pronoun like 'me' or 'te' (Me rompí los brazos, Te lavas los brazos). This is the standard Spanish way for body parts, whereas 'mis brazos' is usually reserved for emphasis or when the arms are detached from the body (e.g., 'Mis brazos son más largos que los tuyos').