cabeza
Lemma Details
Translation: head; mind; leader; top; chief
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: From Latin 'capitia', a derivative of 'caput' (head). The English cognate 'capital' shares this Latin root, as do words like 'captain' and 'decapitate'. The evolution from Latin 'caput/capitia' to Spanish 'cabeza' shows typical sound changes in Romance languages, with the 'p' softening to 'b' and the 't' becoming 'z'.
Commonality: 95%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Me duele la cabeza.
My head hurts.
Él es la cabeza del departamento.
He is the head of the department.
Usa la cabeza antes de hablar.
Use your head before speaking.
La cabeza de ajo tiene varios dientes.
The head of garlic has several cloves.
No me entra en la cabeza cómo pudiste hacer eso.
I can't wrap my head around how you could do that.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'cab' + 'eza' - a cab driver needs to use their head to navigate the city.
- Sounds a bit like 'capable' - your head makes you capable of thinking.
- The 'beza' part sounds like 'brainy' - your head is where your brain is.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish culture, 'cabeza' extends beyond its literal meaning to represent leadership, intelligence, and responsibility. Many Spanish idioms use 'cabeza' to describe mental states, decision-making abilities, and personality traits.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'cabeza' means 'head', 'cabello' refers specifically to the hair on one's head.
This word:
Me duele la cabeza.
My head hurts.
Confused word:
Tiene el cabello largo y negro.
She has long, black hair.
Notes: Both words share the same Latin root 'caput' (head), but 'cabello' evolved from 'capillus' meaning 'hair of the head'.
Mnemonic: 'Cabello' has 'll' like 'locks' of hair.
Explanation: 'Cabeza' means 'head' while 'cebolla' means 'onion'. They look and sound somewhat similar but have completely different meanings.
Notes: The similarity is purely coincidental; 'cebolla' comes from Latin 'cepulla', diminutive of 'cepa' (onion).
Mnemonic: 'Cebolla' has 'olla' in it, which sounds like 'boil' - you often boil onions in cooking.