How to Say "lips" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “lips” is “labios” — use 'labios' when referring specifically to the two fleshy parts of the mouth, often in contexts related to appearance, kissing, or speaking..
labios
/LAH-byos//ˈla.βjos/
Examples
Ella se pinta los labios de color rojo intenso.
She paints her lips a deep red color.
Por favor, no te muerdas los labios cuando estés nerviosa.
Please don't bite your lips when you are nervous.
El silencio en sus labios indicaba que no quería hablar del tema.
The silence on his lips indicated that he didn't want to talk about the subject.
Using 'The' for Body Parts
When talking about your own body parts or those of someone else, Spanish often uses 'el/la/los/las' (the) instead of 'mi/tu/su' (my/your/his/her). For example: 'Me lavo los labios' (I wash my lips).
Using Possessive Adjectives
Mistake: “Me duelen mis labios.”
Correction: Me duelen los labios. (The action verb 'doler' already tells us who owns the lips, making 'mis' unnecessary and awkward.)
boca
/BO-ka//ˈboka/
Examples
Abre la boca, por favor.
Open your mouth, please.
El niño se tapó la boca para no reír.
The boy covered his mouth so he wouldn't laugh.
No hables con la boca llena.
Don't talk with your mouth full.
Always Feminine: 'la boca'
Like most Spanish nouns that end in '-a', 'boca' is a feminine word. So you'll always say 'la boca' (the mouth) or 'una boca' (a mouth).
Using 'my' instead of 'the'
Mistake: “Me duele mi boca.”
Correction: Me duele la boca. (My mouth hurts.) When talking about your own body parts, Spanish usually uses words like 'el' or 'la' instead of 'mi' (my) or 'tu' (your). The first part of the sentence ('Me duele...') already makes it clear it's your own mouth.
Using 'boca' when 'labios' is more appropriate
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