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cerebro

seh-REH-broh/seˈɾe.βɾo/

“cerebro” means “brain” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

brain

Also: cerebrum
NounmA2
A detailed, stylized illustration of a human brain organ, colored in pink and grey, emphasizing its complex structure.

📝 In Action

El cerebro humano es un órgano muy complejo.

A2

The human brain is a very complex organ.

Es importante proteger el cerebro usando un casco al andar en bicicleta.

B1

It's important to protect the brain by wearing a helmet when riding a bike.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • sesos (brains (colloquial))
  • materia gris (grey matter)

Common Collocations

  • daño cerebral – brain damage
  • tumor cerebral – brain tumor
  • cirugía de cerebro – brain surgery

Idioms & Expressions

  • lavado de cerebro – brainwashing

mastermind

Also: brains, intellect
NounmB2
A person sitting at a desk, looking thoughtful, with a cluster of brightly glowing lightbulbs floating directly above their head, symbolizing genius and planning.

📝 In Action

Mi hermana es el cerebro del negocio familiar.

B2

My sister is the brains of the family business.

Necesitamos un buen cerebro para resolver este problema.

C1

We need a good brain (a smart person) to solve this problem.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • mente (mind)
  • intelecto (intellect)
  • genio (genius)

Common Collocations

  • ser el cerebro de algo – to be the brains behind something
  • fuga de cerebros – brain drain (emigration of intelligent people)

Idioms & Expressions

  • exprimir el cerebro – to rack one's brain, to think very hard
  • romperse el cerebro – to wrack one's brain

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "cerebro" in Spanish:

brain→brains→cerebrum→intellect→mastermind→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cerebro

Question 1 of 2

If you want to say someone is the 'mastermind' of a project, which sentence is correct?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
celebroquiebro
📚 Etymology▼

Comes directly from the Latin word 'cerebrum', which meant 'brain' and also 'the top of the head.' It has kept its meaning almost unchanged for thousands of years.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: cerebrum, cerebralFrench: cerveauItalian: cervelloPortuguese: cérebro

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'cerebro' and 'sesos'?

'Cerebro' is the standard, neutral word for 'brain' that you can use in any situation. 'Sesos' also means 'brains' but it's more informal and is always used in the plural. You might hear '¡Usa los sesos!' (Use your brains!), which is a very colloquial command.

Can I use 'cerebro' to talk about the 'brain' of a computer?

While people would understand what you mean, it's much more common to use 'el procesador' (the processor) or 'la CPU' for a computer's 'brain.' 'Cerebro' is almost always used for living beings.