Inklingo

How to Say "nape" in Spanish

The Spanish word fornapeis nucaA2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishA2

nuca

nounA2
the back of the neck
A close-up illustration of the back of a person's neck where the hairline meets the shoulders.

Examples

Ella se recogió el pelo en un moño y dejó su nuca al descubierto.

She tied her hair in a bun and left the nape of her neck exposed.

Me duele la nuca por estar tanto tiempo frente al ordenador.

The back of my neck hurts from being in front of the computer for so long.

El ciclista sentía el aliento de sus rivales en la nuca.

The cyclist felt his rivals' breath on his neck (meaning they were very close).

Using 'La' instead of 'Mi'

In Spanish, when talking about body parts, we usually use the word for 'the' (la) instead of 'my' (mi). Instead of saying 'mi nuca', say 'la nuca' if it's clear it belongs to you.

Always Feminine

The word 'nuca' is always feminine. Even if you are a man, you say 'la nuca'.

Nuca vs. Cuello

Mistake:Using 'cuello' for everything.

Correction: Use 'cuello' for the whole neck or the front part, but use 'nuca' specifically for the back part where your hair ends.

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