How to Say "bend" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “bend” is “curva” — use 'curva' when referring to a turn or bend in a road, path, or river..
curva
KOOR-vah/ˈkuɾ.βa/

Examples
La carretera tiene una curva cerrada al final del pueblo.
The road has a sharp bend at the end of the town.
Tuvimos que reducir la velocidad por la curva peligrosa.
We had to slow down because of the dangerous curve.
Dibuja una curva suave que conecte los dos puntos.
Draw a smooth curve connecting the two points.
El río tiene muchas curvas antes de llegar al mar.
The river has many bends before reaching the sea.
Gender Check
Remember that 'curva' is a feminine noun, so you must use feminine articles and adjectives with it (la curva, una curva peligrosa).
codo
/KOH-doh//ˈkoðo/

Examples
El río hace un codo pronunciado antes de llegar al mar.
The river makes a pronounced bend before reaching the sea.
Me duele el codo después de jugar al tenis.
My elbow hurts after playing tennis.
Apoyó los codos en la mesa mientras comía.
He rested his elbows on the table while eating.
Using 'el' with body parts
In Spanish, we use 'the' (el/la) instead of 'my' or 'your' when talking about body parts. Say 'me duele el codo' (the elbow hurts me) rather than 'mi codo'.
Codo vs. Cubito
Mistake: “Using 'cubito' for the joint.”
Correction: Use 'codo' for the joint itself. 'Cúbito' is the technical name for one of the bones in the forearm.
Curva vs. Codo for Bends
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.

