Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Beard in Spanish
Barba · noun · BAR-bah
The Spanish word for beard is barba, a feminine noun that refers to facial hair on the chin and lower face. Related terms include bigote (mustache) and perilla (goatee).
BAR-bah
Se dejó crecer la barba durante el invierno.
He grew out his beard during the winter.
Beard in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for beard, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| barba | beard | BAR-bah | Default, widely understood |
| bigote | beard | Universal — mustache, often confused with beard by learners | |
| perilla | beard | Universal — goatee, a small beard on the chin | |
| patillas | beard | Universal — sideburns |
How Native Speakers Use Barba
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Complimenting someone's facial hair
Tu barba se ve muy bien; te queda el estilo.
Your beard looks great; the style suits you.
Barba covers any style of facial hair on the chin and jaw area, from stubble to a full beard.
Visiting a barbershop
Quiero recortarme la barba y las patillas, por favor.
I'd like to trim my beard and sideburns, please.
At a barbería (barbershop), you can specify barba for the beard and patillas for sideburns.
Distinguishing beard from mustache
Mi abuelo tiene bigote pero no usa barba.
My grandfather has a mustache but doesn't wear a beard.
Bigote refers only to the mustache above the lip, while barba is the hair on the chin and jaw.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Barba
Confusing barba with bigote
Incorrect: Me estoy dejando crecer el bigote. (while touching chin)
Correct: Me estoy dejando crecer la barba.
Bigote is specifically the mustache on the upper lip. Barba is the facial hair on the chin and lower face. Learners often mix these two terms.
Using the wrong gender article
Incorrect: El barba de mi tío es muy larga.
Correct: La barba de mi tío es muy larga.
Barba is a feminine noun despite referring to a typically masculine feature. It always takes the feminine article la and feminine adjectives.
Lock in Beard Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Barba used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using barba in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Se dejó crecer la barba durante el invierno. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Beard in Spanish
- How do I say 'to shave' in Spanish?
- To shave is afeitarse or rasurarse. For example: Me afeito la barba todas las mañanas (I shave my beard every morning). Rasurarse is more common in Mexico and Central America.
- What is the difference between barba and barbilla?
- Barba means beard (the hair), while barbilla means chin (the body part). They share the same root but refer to different things. You grow a barba on your barbilla.
- Is there a word for stubble in Spanish?
- Yes, stubble is called barba de tres días (literally three-day beard) or barba incipiente. The informal term is barba cerrada when the stubble is thick and dark.