Inklingo

How to Say "brains" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “brains” is “cerebro” — use 'cerebro' when referring to the 'brains' as the seat of intelligence or the mastermind behind a plan or operation..

English → Spanish

cerebro

/seh-REH-broh//seˈɾe.βɾo/

nounB2general
Use 'cerebro' when referring to the 'brains' as the seat of intelligence or the mastermind behind a plan or operation.
A person sitting at a desk, looking thoughtful, with a cluster of brightly glowing lightbulbs floating directly above their head, symbolizing genius and planning.

Examples

Mi hermana es el cerebro del negocio familiar.

My sister is the brains of the family business.

Necesitamos un buen cerebro para resolver este problema.

We need a good brain (a smart person) to solve this problem.

Stays Masculine for People

When 'cerebro' means 'mastermind,' it refers to a person. Even if that person is female, the word 'cerebro' itself always stays masculine. For example: 'Ella es el cerebro del equipo' (She is the mastermind of the team).

Confusing 'Cerebro' and 'Mente'

Mistake: “Using 'cerebro' when you mean 'mind' in the sense of thoughts, feelings, or consciousness.”

Correction: Use 'mente' for 'mind' (e.g., 'Tengo muchas cosas en la mente' - I have a lot on my mind). Use 'cerebro' for the physical organ or for the 'mastermind' of an operation.

cráneo

nounB2informal
Use 'cráneo' figuratively to mean 'head' or 'intelligence' when emphasizing the need to think hard or use one's mind to solve a problem.

Examples

Tienes que usar el cráneo para resolver este problema.

You have to use your head (or brains) to solve this problem.

sesos

/SAY-sohs//ˈsesos/

nounB1general/culinary
Use 'sesos' to refer to the physical substance of a brain, often in a culinary context, or figuratively for deep thought and mental effort.
A simple drawing of a whole brain on a clean white plate.

Examples

Me estoy devanando los sesos para resolver este problema.

I'm racking my brains to solve this problem.

En este restaurante sirven tacos de sesos.

In this restaurant, they serve brain tacos.

El accidente fue fuerte, pero no se dañó los sesos.

The accident was bad, but he didn't damage his brains.

Ese chico tiene muchos sesos; sacó la mejor nota.

That boy has a lot of brains; he got the best grade.

Always Plural

This word is almost always used in its plural form (with an 's'), even when referring to one person or animal.

Abstract Use

When used to mean 'intelligence', it acts like the English word 'wits'—it describes your mental ability rather than a physical thing.

Sesos vs. Cerebro

Mistake: “Using 'sesos' in a biology or medical context.”

Correction: Use 'cerebro' for the biological organ and 'sesos' for the substance (especially food) or mental capacity.

mentes

MEN-tehsˈmen.tes

nounA2general/figurative
Use 'mentes' (plural of 'mente') figuratively to refer to people who possess intelligence or intellect, often in a collective or abstract sense.
Two stylized figures standing side-by-side, each having a large, bright thought bubble floating above their head, symbolizing active minds.

Examples

Las mentes brillantes cambiaron el mundo.

Brilliant minds changed the world.

Necesitamos abrir nuestras mentes a nuevas ideas.

We need to open our minds to new ideas.

Hay dos mentes trabajando en este proyecto.

There are two minds working on this project.

Feminine Noun Rule

Even though many Spanish words ending in '-e' can be masculine (like 'el coche'), 'mente' is always feminine. So, remember to use 'las mentes' or 'unas mentes'.

Gender Confusion

Mistake: “Los mentes están abiertas.”

Correction: Las mentes están abiertas. (Always use the feminine article 'las'.)

Intelligence vs. Physical Brain

The most common mistake is using 'cerebro' or 'cráneo' when referring to the literal, physical substance of a brain, especially in cooking. Remember that 'sesos' is the word for the actual brain matter, while 'cerebro' and 'cráneo' are more often used for intelligence or the head.

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