Inklingo

How to Say "skin" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “skin” is “piel” — use 'piel' for the general outer covering of a person or animal's body, especially when discussing health, appearance, or protection.

English → Spanish

piel

pyehlpjel

nounA1general
Use 'piel' for the general outer covering of a person or animal's body, especially when discussing health, appearance, or protection.
A close-up view of healthy human skin on an arm, showing subtle texture and warmth.

Examples

Debes proteger tu piel del sol en verano.

You must protect your skin from the sun in summer.

El doctor revisó la piel para ver si había alguna alergia.

The doctor checked the skin to see if there was any allergy.

Se me puso la piel de gallina cuando escuché esa canción.

I got goosebumps when I heard that song. (Literally: My skin became chicken skin)

Use of the Article 'La'

When talking about your own body parts, Spanish often uses the definite article ('la' or 'el') instead of the possessive word ('mi' or 'tu'). Say 'Me piqué la piel' (I pricked my skin), not 'mi piel'.

cuero

KWEH-rohˈkweɾo

nounB1informal
Use 'cuero' informally to refer to human skin, often when it feels uncomfortable or is affected by something like an insect bite.
A close-up illustration of a person's forearm and hand resting naturally, focusing on the smooth texture of the human skin.

Examples

Me pica el cuero después de la picadura del mosquito.

My skin is itchy after the mosquito bite.

Se jugó el cuero por su familia.

He risked his neck (life) for his family.

pellejo

peh-YEH-hopeˈʎexo

nounB1general
Use 'pellejo' for loose skin, or the skin of fruits, vegetables, or cooked meats like chicken.
A close-up of a wrinkled grape with a partially peeled skin.

Examples

No me gusta comer el pellejo del pollo.

I don't like eating the chicken skin.

Las uvas tienen un pellejo muy fino.

The grapes have a very thin skin.

Después de adelgazar mucho, le quedó algo de pellejo.

After losing a lot of weight, he had some loose skin left over.

Pellejo vs. Piel

While both mean 'skin,' use 'piel' for healthy living human skin. Use 'pellejo' for skin that is detached, loose, or on fruits and animals.

Don't use it for compliments

Mistake: “Tienes un pellejo muy bonito.”

Correction: Say 'Tienes una piel muy bonita.' Calling someone's skin 'pellejo' suggests it is loose, old, or like animal hide.

nata

nah-tahˈnata

nounA2culinary
Use 'nata' specifically for the layer that forms on top of boiled milk, which is similar to 'cream' in English.
A small white ceramic bowl filled with thick, smooth white cream sitting on a simple wooden surface.

Examples

¿Prefieres el café solo o con un poco de nata?

Do you prefer black coffee or with a bit of cream?

Esta tarta de fresas tiene mucha nata montada.

This strawberry cake has a lot of whipped cream.

Quita la nata de la leche antes de beberla.

Take the skin off the milk before drinking it.

Using 'Nata' as a 'Mass' Noun

Just like the word 'water' or 'sand,' we usually treat 'nata' as a single mass of stuff. You rarely make it plural unless you are talking about different types of cream.

Cream vs. Custard

Mistake: “Using 'nata' to describe the yellow filling in a donut.”

Correction: Use 'crema' or 'crema pastelera' for yellow pastry custard. 'Nata' is specifically the white dairy cream.

película

nounB2general
Use 'película' to describe a thin film or layer that forms on the surface of liquids like soup or pudding.

Examples

Una fina película de polvo cubría los muebles.

A thin film of dust covered the furniture.

General vs. Specific Skin

Learners often use 'piel' for all contexts, but remember that 'cuero' and 'pellejo' are more specific for informal or edible skin. 'Nata' and 'película' refer to surface layers on liquids, not body coverings.

Related Translations

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