Inklingo

How to Say "neck" in Spanish

English → Spanish

cuello

KWEH-yoh/ˈkweʝo/

nounA1general
Use 'cuello' for the body part connecting your head to your shoulders, or for the collar of a shirt.
A simple storybook illustration showing the profile of a human body, focusing clearly on the neck connecting the head to the shoulders and torso.

Examples

Me duele el cuello por dormir en una mala posición.

My neck hurts from sleeping in a bad position.

Ella lleva un collar elegante en su cuello.

She is wearing an elegant necklace on her neck.

Por favor, estira el cuello antes de empezar el ejercicio.

Please, stretch your neck before starting the exercise.

Tienes una mancha en el cuello de la camisa.

You have a stain on the collar of your shirt.

Using 'el' instead of 'mi'

When talking about your own body parts, Spanish often uses the article 'el' or 'la' instead of 'mi'. For example, you say 'Me duele el cuello' (The neck hurts me), not 'Me duele mi cuello'.

Common descriptive patterns

You can describe the style of a collar by placing the adjective after 'cuello': 'cuello alto' (high neck) or specifying the type using 'de': 'cuello de tortuga' (turtleneck).

Confusing 'cuello' and 'garganta'

Mistake: “Using 'cuello' when you mean the throat.”

Correction: 'Cuello' is the outside part. If you mean the inside passage used for eating/breathing, use 'garganta' (throat).

garganta

gar-GAN-tah/ɡaɾˈɣanta/

nounB2geographical/technical
Use 'garganta' to describe a narrow passage, like a gorge in geography, or the opening of a bottle or vessel.
A landscape illustration depicting a deep, narrow gorge with steep rocky walls on both sides and a small river flowing through the base.

Examples

Tuvimos que cruzar una garganta muy estrecha para llegar al valle.

We had to cross a very narrow gorge to reach the valley.

La garganta de la botella es demasiado pequeña para el cepillo.

The neck of the bottle is too small for the brush.

Cuello vs. Garganta for Openings

Learners often confuse 'cuello' and 'garganta' when referring to the narrow part of a bottle. While 'cuello' can sometimes be used colloquially, 'garganta' is more precise for the opening itself, especially in a more technical or descriptive sense. For the body part, always use 'cuello'.

Related Translations

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