How to Say "mouth" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “mouth” is “boca” — use 'boca' for the literal mouth of a person or animal, or for the opening or entrance of something like a river or a tunnel..
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.
Esperamos en la boca del metro.
We waited at the entrance of the subway.
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.
boca
/BO-ka//ˈboka/
Examples
El pueblo está situado en la boca del río.
The town is located at the mouth of the river.
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.
pico
/PEE-koh//ˈpiko/
Examples
¡Cierra el pico y escúchame!
Shut your mouth and listen to me!
Le dio un pico a su novia antes de irse.
He gave his girlfriend a quick kiss before leaving.
Formal vs. Informal
Mistake: “Using 'pico' in a formal presentation when referring to a person's mouth.”
Correction: Use 'boca' instead. 'Pico' carries an informal or slightly rude tone when talking about a person.
Informal 'pico' vs. General 'boca'
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