A simplified, colorful illustration showing a human hand with five clearly defined fingers.

dedos

DEH-dohs

nounmA1

fingers?digits of the hand,toes?digits of the foot

Also:a finger's width?a small measure of thickness

📝 In Action

Me corté uno de los dedos mientras cocinaba.

I cut one of my fingers while cooking.

Necesitas mover los dedos de los pies para calentar.

You need to move your toes to warm up.

El carpintero midió la tabla con dos dedos de ancho.

The carpenter measured the plank as two fingers' width wide.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

los dedos de la mano – fingers (of the hand)
los dedos del pie – toes (of the foot)
tocar con los dedos – to touch lightly (to finger something)

Idioms & Expressions

tener buenos dedos – to be skillful, especially with fine motor tasks (like a musician)
no tener dos dedos de frente– to be a bit stupid or slow-witted

💡 Grammar Points

Masculine Plural Noun

Even though this word ends in '-os,' it is simply the plural form of the masculine noun 'dedo' (finger/toe).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing fingers and toes

Mistake: "Using 'dedos' alone and expecting the listener to know if you mean fingers or toes."

Correction: When clarity is important, add 'de la mano' (of the hand) for fingers, or 'del pie' (of the foot) for toes. Example: 'Me duelen los dedos del pie.'

⭐ Usage Tips

Use of Articles

When talking about your own fingers or toes, Spanish usually prefers the definite article ('los') over the possessive adjective ('mis'). Say 'Me lavo los dedos' (I wash my fingers) instead of 'Me lavo mis dedos'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: dedos

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses the word 'dedos' to refer to a common idiom?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

dedo(finger / toe (singular)) - noun

dedal(thimble) - noun

mano(hand) - noun

pie(foot) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'dedos' mean both fingers AND toes?

In Spanish, the same word is used for these similar body parts (the digits). If you need to be specific, you simply add context: 'dedos de la mano' (fingers) or 'dedos del pie' (toes).

How do I say 'pinky finger' or 'big toe'?

While 'dedo' is the general term, specific fingers and toes have names, often involving an adjective or a descriptive noun. For example, the pinky is often 'dedo meñique' or 'dedito pequeño,' and the big toe is 'dedo gordo'.