Inklingo
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A close-up illustration focusing only on a pair of slightly pink, closed human lips.

labios

LAH-byos

NounmA1
lips?The two fleshy parts surrounding the mouth.
Also:rim?Figurative: the edge of a wound or container (less common).

📝 In Action

Ella se pinta los labios de color rojo intenso.

A1

She paints her lips a deep red color.

Por favor, no te muerdas los labios cuando estés nerviosa.

A2

Please don't bite your lips when you are nervous.

El silencio en sus labios indicaba que no quería hablar del tema.

B1

The silence on his lips indicated that he didn't want to talk about the subject.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • boca (mouth)
  • morro (snout/pout (informal))

Common Collocations

  • pintarse los labios – to put on lipstick
  • besar en los labios – to kiss on the lips

Idioms & Expressions

  • sellar los labios – to keep a secret; to remain silent

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'The' for Body Parts

When talking about your own body parts or those of someone else, Spanish often uses 'el/la/los/las' (the) instead of 'mi/tu/su' (my/your/his/her). For example: 'Me lavo los labios' (I wash my lips).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using Possessive Adjectives

Mistake: "Me duelen mis labios."

Correction: Me duelen los labios. (The action verb 'doler' already tells us who owns the lips, making 'mis' unnecessary and awkward.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Always Plural

Unless you are specifically referring to the 'labio superior' (upper lip) or 'labio inferior' (lower lip), you will almost always use this word in the plural form, 'labios'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: labios

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly describes the color of someone's lips?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

labio(lip (singular)) - noun
labial(labial (relating to the lips)) - adjective
labiosidad(lip thickness/quality) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'labios' almost always masculine, even though 'boca' (mouth) is feminine?

The gender of Spanish nouns is usually fixed, and 'labio' (the singular form) inherited its masculine gender from its Latin root, *labium*, which was neuter. The gender of related body parts doesn't always match.

Can I ever use the singular form, 'labio'?

Yes, but only if you are specifying one lip, like 'labio superior' (upper lip) or 'labio inferior' (lower lip). Otherwise, use the plural 'labios'.