Describing a person’s physical appearance is a fundamental skill in any language. In Spanish, this involves not only learning vocabulary but also mastering grammatical structures and natural expressions. This post will teach you how to describe people in detail, accurately, and naturally.

 

Common grammatical structures

 

In Spanish, we primarily use 5 verbs to describe physical appearance:

Ser (to be): Used for permanent characteristics. Example: Es alto (He is tall), Es bonita

(She is pretty), Es delgado (He is slim).

Tener (to have): Used for body parts or specific features. Example: Tiene el pelo corto (He has short hair), Tiene los ojos verdes (She has green eyes).

Llevar / usar (to wear/have): Used for things that change, such as clothing, accessories, or hairstyles. Example: Lleva/usa barba (He has a beard), Lleva/usa gafas (She wears glasses), Lleva/usa coleta (She has a ponytail).

Parecer (to seem/look like): Used to give an impression or make an assumption. Example: Parece simpática (She seems nice), Parece más joven (He looks younger).

 

 

Useful vocabulary for describing someone physically

Height and build

Alto – tall
Bajo – short
De estatura media – medium height
Delgado – slim
Flaco – skinny
Gordo – fat
Rellenito – chubby
Musculoso – muscular
Atlético – athletic
Corpulento – heavy-set
Esbelto – slender
Estar en forma – to be in shape

 

Skin color

Pálido – pale
Blanco – white
Trigueño – olive-skinned
Moreno – dark-skinned
Negro – Black
Tener la piel clara – to have light skin
Tener la piel oscura – to have dark skin

 

Facial features

Cara redonda – round face
Cara alargada – long face
Cara ovalada – oval face
Nariz recta – straight nose
Nariz aguileña – hooked nose
Labios finos – thin lips
Labios gruesos – full lips
Frente amplia – broad forehead
Mejillas marcadas – defined cheeks
Cejas finas – thin eyebrows
Cejas pobladas – thick eyebrows

 

Hair

Pelo largo – long hair
Pelo corto – short hair
Pelo medio – medium-length hair
Pelo liso – straight hair
Pelo rizado – curly hair
Pelo ondulado – wavy hair
Rubio – blond
Castaño – brown
Pelirrojo – red-haired
Moreno – dark-haired
Canoso – gray-haired
Calvo – bald
Con flequillo – with bangs
Con trenzas – with braids
Recogido – tied-up
Suelto – loose
Con moño – in a bun
En coleta – in a ponytail

 

Eyes

Ojos grandes – big eyes
Ojos pequeños – small eyes
Ojos rasgados – almond-shaped eyes
Ojos claros – light-colored eyes
Ojos oscuros – dark-colored eyes
Ojos verdes – green eyes
Ojos azules – blue eyes
Ojos marrones – brown eyes
Ojos negros – black eyes
Ojos grises – grey eyes
Ojos color miel – hazel eyes

 

 

Useful idiomatic expressions

Tener buen porte → To have a good presence, to appear elegant.

Él es muy guapo / Ella es muy guapa → To be very attractive .

Tener cara de pocos amigos → To look unfriendly or serious.

 

 

Examples of complete descriptions

 

Young woman

Es una chica alta y delgada. Tiene el pelo largo, liso y pelirrojo. Sus ojos son grandes, azules y muy expresivos. Tiene la piel clara, la cara ovalada y los labios gruesos.

She is a tall, slim girl. She has long, straight, red hair. Her eyes are large, blue, and very expressive. She has fair skin, an oval face, and full lips.

 

Older man

Es un hombre mayor, bajo y corpulento. Tiene el pelo corto, canoso, y una barba blanca. Sus ojos son pequeños y oscuros. Tiene arrugas profundas en el rostro y siempre se viste de manera muy elegante.

He is a short, stocky older man. He has short, gray hair and a white beard. His eyes are small and dark. He has deep wrinkles on his face and always dresses very elegantly.

 

 

Activities to practice

– Describe a famous person using at least 5 physical adjectives.

– Compare two people you know: they can be family members, friends, or fictional characters.