ojos

/OH-hohs/

eyes

Ojos: The primary meaning, referring to the physical body parts used for sight (eyes).

ojos(Noun)

mA1

eyes

The part of the body you see with.

📝 In Action

Ella tiene los ojos azules.

She has blue eyes.

Me duelen los ojos de tanto leer.

My eyes hurt from reading so much.

Abre los ojos, ya es de día.

Open your eyes, it's already daytime.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

abrir los ojos – to open one's eyes
cerrar los ojos – to close one's eyes
color de ojos – eye color

Idioms & Expressions

costar un ojo de la cara– to be very expensive
en un abrir y cerrar de ojos – in the blink of an eye
no pegar ojo – to not sleep a wink

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'los' for Body Parts

In Spanish, you usually use words like 'los', 'las', 'me', or 'te' instead of 'my' or 'your' when talking about body parts. For example, 'Me duelen los ojos' (My eyes hurt) sounds more natural than 'Mis ojos duelen'.

Plural for Two Eyes

When you're talking about both of someone's eyes, you always use the plural form 'ojos'. You only use the singular 'ojo' when talking about one specific eye.

❌ Common Pitfalls

'Mis ojos' vs. 'Los ojos'

Mistake: "Yo cierro mis ojos."

Correction: Cierro los ojos. When the context makes it clear whose body part it is (because you are the one doing the action), you don't need to use 'mis'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Essential for Descriptions

'Ojos' is a key word for describing people. You can talk about their color ('ojos marrones', 'ojos verdes') or their size ('ojos grandes', 'ojos pequeños').

A pair of large, attentive brown eyes intently watching a small, shiny gold coin sitting on a table, symbolizing focus.

Ojos: Figuratively used to mean 'attention' or 'watchfulness', as in keeping an eye on something.

ojos(Noun)

mB1

attention

as in 'to keep an eye on'

Also:

care

as in 'watch out for'

judgment

as in 'in the eyes of the law'

📝 In Action

Tengo mis ojos puestos en ti, no intentes nada.

I've got my eyes on you, don't try anything.

A los ojos de la ley, todos somos iguales.

In the eyes of the law, we are all equal.

El profesor tiene mil ojos, lo ve todo.

The teacher has a thousand eyes, he sees everything.

Word Connections

Idioms & Expressions

tener buen ojo – to have good judgment or a good eye for something
ser el ojo derecho de alguien – to be someone's favorite person
¡Ojo! – Watch out! / Be careful!

⭐ Usage Tips

Figurative Attention

Think of this meaning like 'directing your sight'. When you put your 'ojos' on something, you're giving it your full attention or watching it carefully.

A macro shot of a thick, yellow slice of Swiss cheese resting on a wooden board, clearly showing many perfectly round holes.

Ojos: In a less common usage, this word refers to the small, round holes found in objects like cheese or potatoes.

ojos(Noun)

mB2

holes

e.g., in cheese

Also:

eyes

e.g., on a potato

openings

e.g., the arch of a bridge

📝 In Action

Este queso suizo tiene muchos ojos.

This Swiss cheese has a lot of holes (eyes).

Hay que quitarle los ojos a las patatas antes de cocinarlas.

You have to remove the eyes from the potatoes before cooking them.

El puente tiene tres ojos grandes para que pase el río.

The bridge has three large arches (eyes) for the river to pass through.

Word Connections

Synonyms

agujeros (holes)
aberturas (openings)

⭐ Usage Tips

Look for the Shape

This meaning is used for things that have small, roundish openings that look a bit like an eye. It's a visual connection!

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ojos

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'ojos' to mean something other than the body part?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

ojo(eye) - noun

ojera(dark circle (under eye)) - noun

ojear(to glance at, to eye) - verb

anteojos(eyeglasses) - noun

ojeroso(having dark circles under the eyes) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do people say 'Me duelen los ojos' instead of 'Mis ojos me duelen'?

It's a common pattern in Spanish. When talking about your own body parts, especially when something happens to them (like hurting), you use words like 'me', 'te', 'le' and the article ('los' in this case). It sounds much more natural to native speakers than using 'mis' (my).

Is 'ojos' always masculine?

Yes. The singular word 'ojo' is a masculine noun ('el ojo'), so its plural form 'ojos' is also masculine ('los ojos'). Any descriptive words you use with it must also be masculine, like 'ojos azules' (not 'azulas').