mandíbula
man-DEE-boo-lah
📝 In Action
Me duele la mandíbula después de ir al dentista.
A2My jaw hurts after going to the dentist.
El león tiene una mandíbula muy fuerte para cazar.
B1The lion has a very strong jaw for hunting.
Al oír la noticia, se le caía la mandíbula de la sorpresa.
B2When he heard the news, his jaw dropped in surprise.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Feminine
Even though men have jaws too, the word is always feminine: 'la mandíbula'. Use 'la' or 'una' regardless of whose jaw you are talking about.
Stress the Third-to-Last Syllable
Notice the accent mark on the 'í'. In Spanish, words that have the emphasis three syllables from the end (esdrújulas) always need a written accent mark.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Missing the Accent Mark
Mistake: "mandibula"
Correction: mandíbula
⭐ Usage Tips
Physical Reactions
Use 'apretar la mandíbula' (clench the jaw) to describe someone who is angry or very determined.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: mandíbula
Question 1 of 1
If someone says 'Se me cayó la mandíbula', how are they feeling?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'mandíbula' different from 'quijada'?
They are mostly the same! 'Mandíbula' is a bit more scientific or formal, while 'quijada' is a bit more common in everyday speech, though both are perfectly understood.
How do you say 'lower jaw' vs 'upper jaw'?
You use the adjectives 'inferior' (lower) and 'superior' (upper). So: 'mandíbula inferior' and 'mandíbula superior'.