Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Cheeks in Spanish: Mejillas
Mejillas · noun (feminine plural) · meh-HEE-yahs
Cheeks in Spanish is mejillas (formal) or cachetes (colloquial, especially in Latin America), referring to the sides of the face.
Mejillas is meh-HEE-yahs, with the stress on the second syllable.
El bebé tiene las mejillas muy rosadas.
The baby has very rosy cheeks.
Cheeks in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for cheeks, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| mejillas | cheeks | meh-HEE-yahs | Default, widely understood |
| cachetes | cheeks | Latin America (informal) |
How Native Speakers Use Mejillas
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Describing a child
Le pellizqué los cachetes al niño porque son adorables.
I pinched the child's cheeks because they're adorable.
Cachetes is endearing and informal.
Blushing
Se le pusieron rojas las mejillas de la vergüenza.
Her cheeks turned red from embarrassment.
Describing blushing.
Makeup application
Aplica el rubor en las mejillas con movimientos circulares.
Apply blush on the cheeks with circular movements.
Beauty and cosmetics.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Mejillas
Confusing cachetes with nalgas
Incorrect: Me senté en los cachetes. (meaning buttocks)
Correct: Me senté en las nalgas.
In some regions, cachetes can colloquially refer to buttocks, but mejillas is always unambiguous for face cheeks.
Using singular when meaning both
Incorrect: Tiene la mejilla roja. (meaning both cheeks)
Correct: Tiene las mejillas rojas.
When both cheeks are involved, use the plural mejillas with plural agreement.
Lock in Cheeks 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 Mejillas used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using mejillas in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El bebé tiene las mejillas muy rosadas. 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 Cheeks in Spanish
- How do you say cheeks in Spanish?
- The standard term is mejillas, and the informal/affectionate alternative in Latin America is cachetes.
- What is the difference between mejillas and cachetes?
- Mejillas is the anatomical, formal term suitable for any context, while cachetes is colloquial and often used with children or in casual conversation.
- How do you say chubby cheeks in Spanish?
- Chubby cheeks can be expressed as cachetes gorditos or mejillas regordetas, both conveying plump, round cheeks.