Spanish · Body & Health

"Hair" in Spanish: cabello

el cabello

Say it: kah-BEH-yohmasculine · el cabellonoun/ka.ˈβe.ʝo/

Note: also: el pelo

Hair is el cabello (kah-BEH-yoh). It is masculine. El pelo is a very common everyday synonym. Ask for a cut with un corte de cabello.

Salon

Quiero un corte de cabello corto.
I want a short haircut.
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How to pronounce cabello

Say it

kah-BEH-yoh

/ka.ˈβe.ʝo/

kah-BEH-yoh. Stress BEH. Soft ll like y.

"Hair" in Spanish: quick reference

SpanishEnglish
el cabellohair

Default; also salon talk.

el pelohair

Very common everyday synonym.

corte de cabellohaircut

Salon request.

cabello largolong hair

Length description.

How to use cabello in real life

  1. 1Salon

    Quiero un corte de cabello corto.

    I want a short haircut.

    Corte de cabello is standard.

  2. 2Compliment

    Tu cabello se ve brillante.

    Your hair looks shiny.

    Cabello as subject.

  3. 3Washing

    Me lavo el cabello cada mañana.

    I wash my hair every morning.

    El cabello with possessive sense.

Mistakes English speakers make with cabello

Incorrect: La cabello es largo.

Correct: El cabello es largo.

Cabello is masculine: el cabello.

Incorrect: Tengo hair rubio.

Correct: Tengo el cabello rubio.

Use cabello or pelo, not hair.

Good to know

Cabello and pelo both mean hair. Salons often prefer cabello; friends may say pelo. Gender stays masculine for both.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

At a neighborhood salon

  1. ChatPal

    ¿Cómo quieres el cabello hoy?

    How do you want your hair today?

  2. You

    Solo un poco de cabello menos en los lados.

    Just a little less hair on the sides.

  3. ChatPal

    Perfecto. ¿Con champú?

    Perfect. With shampoo?

  4. You

    Sí, por favor.

    Yes, please.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"Hair" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Hair" in Spanish

Is cabello masculine?

Yes: el cabello, mi cabello.

Is pelo different from cabello?

Same meaning as cabello; pelo is more casual.

How do I say haircut?

Corte de cabello or corte de pelo.

How do you pronounce cabello?

kah-BEH-yoh; ll sounds like y.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

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  2. Step 2: Say it out loud
  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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