Inklingo
← Dictionary

pie

/pyeh/

foot

A close-up illustration of a bare human foot standing firmly on green grass, showing the sole and toes.

The most common meaning of pie is the body part, the foot.

pie(Noun)

mA1

foot

?

part of the body

📝 In Action

Me duele el pie derecho.

A1

My right foot hurts.

Los niños juegan descalzos, con los pies en la arena.

A2

The children are playing barefoot, with their feet in the sand.

Prefiero ir a pie para disfrutar del paisaje.

B1

I prefer to go on foot to enjoy the scenery.

Word Connections

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • dolor de pie – foot pain
  • dedo del pie – toe
  • planta del pie – sole of the foot
  • ir a pie – to go on foot, to walk

Idioms & Expressions

  • empezar con buen pie – To get off to a good start.
  • levantarse con el pie izquierdo – To wake up in a bad mood; to get up on the wrong side of the bed.
  • buscarle tres pies al gato – To overcomplicate things; to look for trouble where there is none.

💡 Grammar Points

Always Masculine: 'el pie'

Even though 'pie' doesn't end in -o, it's a masculine word. Always say 'el pie' for one foot and 'los pies' for more than one.

❌ Common Pitfalls

'Pie' vs. 'Pierna'

Mistake: "Me duele la pie."

Correction: The word for 'foot' is 'pie', and it's 'el pie'. More importantly, don't confuse it with 'pierna', which means 'leg'. 'Pie' is just the part your shoe covers; 'pierna' is the whole thing from your hip to your ankle.

⭐ Usage Tips

Going 'On Foot'

To say you are walking somewhere, a very common phrase is 'ir a pie'. For example, 'Voy a la tienda a pie' (I'm walking to the store).

A storybook illustration showing a towering mountain with a small, colorful tent pitched directly at the base where the mountain meets the flat ground.

Pie can also refer to the base or foot of an object, like the base of a mountain or a lamp.

pie(Noun)

mB1

base

?

of a mountain, lamp, statue

Also:

bottom

?

of a page

,

leg

?

of a table or chair

📝 In Action

Acampamos al pie de la montaña.

B1

We camped at the foot/base of the mountain.

Hay una nota importante al pie de la página.

B1

There's an important note at the bottom of the page.

El pie de esta lámpara es de madera.

A2

The base of this lamp is made of wood.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • base (base)
  • soporte (support, stand)

Antonyms

  • cima (summit, top)
  • cumbre (peak)

Common Collocations

  • al pie de la montaña – at the foot of the mountain
  • pie de página – footnote / footer
  • pie de foto – photo caption

Idioms & Expressions

  • al pie de la letra – Literally, exactly as instructed.

⭐ Usage Tips

A Helpful Image

Think of this meaning as the part of an object that 'stands' on the ground, just like a person's foot. This connection can help you remember to use 'pie' for the base of a lamp, the leg of a table, or the bottom of a mountain.

An illustration showing a long, simple wooden plank resting horizontally. Next to the plank, a stylized silhouette of a human foot is shown, symbolizing a unit of length measurement.

Pie is also used as the imperial unit of measurement, the foot, especially in contexts like aviation.

pie(Noun)

mB2

foot

?

unit of measurement

📝 In Action

El avión vuela a una altitud de 30.000 pies.

B2

The airplane is flying at an altitude of 30,000 feet.

La tabla mide ocho pies de largo.

B1

The plank measures eight feet long.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • pie cúbico – cubic foot
  • pie cuadrado – square foot

⭐ Usage Tips

Metric vs. Imperial

Remember that most of the Spanish-speaking world uses the metric system (metros, centímetros). You'll typically only hear 'pie' as a measurement in contexts influenced by the US or UK, like aviation, sailing, or when buying certain imported goods.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: pie

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'pie' to mean the bottom part of something?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

piecito(little foot) - noun
peatón(pedestrian) - noun
pedal(pedal) - noun
pedestal(pedestal) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'pie' and 'pierna'?

'Pie' is your foot, the part at the very bottom of your leg that you wear a shoe on. 'Pierna' is your entire leg, from your hip down to your ankle. It's a common point of confusion for English speakers!

Is 'pie' masculine or feminine?

It's always masculine. You say 'el pie' for one foot and 'los pies' for two or more feet. Even though it doesn't end in -o, it's a masculine noun you just have to memorize.

How do you make 'pie' plural?

The plural of 'pie' is 'pies'. You just add an -s. For example, 'Me lavo los pies' (I wash my feet).