dedo
“dedo” means “finger” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
finger, toe
📝 In Action
Me puse un anillo en el dedo anular.
A1I put a ring on my ring finger.
Me duele el dedo gordo del pie después de correr.
A2My big toe hurts after running.
El bebé siempre quiere agarrar cosas con sus pequeños dedos.
A1The baby always wants to grab things with its tiny fingers.
a small amount
Also: accusation
📝 In Action
No tengo dos dedos de frente si hice esa tontería.
B1I must not have a lick of sense if I did that stupid thing. (Literal: I don't have two fingers of forehead.)
Le echamos solo un dedo de aceite al guiso.
B2We only added a splash/tiny bit of oil to the stew.
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🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: dedo
Question 1 of 2
Which Spanish phrase correctly asks a friend to identify the specific part of the body that allows them to pick up a pen?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word *dedo* comes directly from the Latin word *digitus*, which meant 'finger' or 'toe.' This shows a very ancient and consistent concept in the language, relating it directly to many modern languages that share the root (like English 'digital').
First recorded: 10th century (in Romance languages)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
If 'dedo' means both finger and toe, how do I specify which one I mean?
While the context usually makes it clear, if you must be specific, say *dedo de la mano* (finger of the hand) or *dedo del pie* (finger of the foot). For the big toe, you often hear *dedo gordo del pie*.
Is it rude to 'señalar con el dedo' (to point a finger)?
Pointing is generally considered less polite in Spanish-speaking cultures than in English-speaking ones, especially if you are pointing *at* a person. It is often associated with blame or accusation, as seen in the phrase *señalar con el dedo*.