Inklingo
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hueso

/WAY-soh/

bone

A simple illustration of a white femur bone resting on a solid background.

Hueso referring to an anatomical bone.

hueso(noun)

mA1

bone

?

anatomical structure

Also:

skeletal part

?

general anatomy

📝 In Action

Me rompí un hueso del brazo jugando al fútbol.

A1

I broke a bone in my arm playing soccer.

El perro estaba feliz con su hueso nuevo.

A1

The dog was happy with its new bone.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • esqueleto (skeleton)
  • osamenta (collection of bones)

Common Collocations

  • romperse un hueso – to break a bone
  • dejar en los huesos – to leave someone extremely thin (literally: in the bones)

💡 Grammar Points

Gender and Plural

Since 'hueso' is a masculine noun, it uses 'el' (el hueso) and 'los' (los huesos). Remember, it refers to a single piece of the body structure.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Pronouncing the 'H'

Mistake: "Hueso is pronounced /hwe.so/ (with an 'h' sound like in English 'house')."

Correction: The 'h' in Spanish is always silent. It should sound like 'WAY-soh,' starting with the 'u' sound.

A colorful illustration of a ripe peach sliced in half, clearly showing the large, round brown pit in the center.

Hueso referring to the hard pit or stone inside a piece of fruit.

hueso(noun)

mA2

pit

?

fruit stone (e.g., peach, avocado)

,

stone

?

fruit pit

📝 In Action

Ten cuidado de no morder el hueso del aguacate.

A2

Be careful not to bite the avocado pit.

Tiré los huesos de las cerezas a la basura.

B1

I threw the cherry pits in the trash.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • semilla (seed (general))
  • pepa (pit/seed (often South America))

⭐ Usage Tips

Knowing the Difference

While 'hueso' is common for large pits (like those in peaches or avocados), 'semilla' is generally used for smaller seeds (like those in apples or tomatoes).

An illustration of a small, frustrated person straining intensely to push a gigantic, rough gray stone block, symbolizing a difficult task.

Hueso used figuratively to describe a difficult or tedious task, 'a drag.'

hueso(noun)

mB2

a drag

?

a difficult or boring task

,

tough nut to crack

?

a difficult person

Also:

lazy person

?

Spain slang

📝 In Action

Esta clase de matemáticas es un hueso, no entiendo nada.

B2

This math class is a real drag/tough, I don't understand anything.

Mi jefe es un hueso, siempre pone problemas.

C1

My boss is a difficult person; he always causes problems.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser un hueso duro de roer – to be a difficult person or problem to deal with

⭐ Usage Tips

Figurative Meaning

When used figuratively, 'hueso' means something is tough, hard, or difficult—just like a bone is hard to break or chew.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: hueso

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'hueso' to mean a difficult task?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

óseo(bony, osseous (adjective)) - adjective
osario(ossuary (place for bones)) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'hueso' means a body part or a fruit pit?

Context is key! If you are talking about anatomy, injuries, or animals, it means 'bone.' If you are talking about eating fruit or preparing a recipe, it means 'pit' or 'stone.'

Why does 'hueso' start with an 'h' if it’s silent?

The 'h' is a historical remnant from the word's Latin root. Spanish kept the letter in the spelling, but the sound was dropped over time. You should always ignore the 'h' when speaking.