How do you say 'hip replacement' in Spanish?

The standard medical term is reemplazo de cadera, though in Spain you may also hear prótesis de cadera (hip prosthesis). Both terms are used in hospital settings, with prótesis being slightly more technical and referring specifically to the artificial joint itself.

Why are 'caderas' so important in Latin dance?

Latin dance styles like salsa, merengue, bachata, and cumbia emphasize fluid hip movement as a core technique. The phrase mover las caderas (to move the hips) is practically synonymous with dancing in many Spanish-speaking cultures, and hip isolation exercises form the foundation of beginner dance classes.

What is the difference between 'cadera' and 'cintura'?

Cadera refers to the hip joint and the bony area at the widest part of the pelvis, while cintura means waist, the narrower area above the hips. In body measurement terms, la medida de cadera is the hip measurement taken around the widest point, and la medida de cintura is the waist measurement taken at the narrowest point of the torso.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

Hip in Spanish: Cadera

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Cadera · noun · kah-DEH-rah

Cadera is the Spanish noun for the hip, the large ball-and-socket joint connecting the thigh bone to the pelvis. The word appears frequently in medical contexts, dance descriptions, and everyday complaints about body aches. In plural form, caderas refers to the hips as a general area of the body and is commonly associated with movement and dance in Spanish-speaking cultures.

Cadera has three syllables with the stress on the middle one: kah-DEH-rah. The initial c is a hard k sound, and the final a trails off softly.

Me duele la cadera cuando camino largas distancias.

My hip hurts when I walk long distances.

How Native Speakers Use Cadera

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Medical context

Mi abuelo necesita una operación de reemplazo de cadera.

My grandfather needs a hip replacement operation.

Common medical scenario for elderly patients.

Dance instruction

Gira las caderas lentamente al compás del tambor.

Rotate your hips slowly to the beat of the drum.

Standard instruction in salsa, bachata, and other Latin dance classes.

Physical complaint

Después de correr diez kilómetros, sentí un dolor agudo en la cadera derecha.

After running ten kilometers, I felt a sharp pain in my right hip.

Sports injury or exercise-related discomfort.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Cadera

False friend with English 'hip'

Incorrect: Ella es muy cadera. (trying to say 'she's very hip/cool')

Correct: Ella es muy moderna / está a la moda.

Cadera only refers to the body part in Spanish and cannot be used as a slang adjective for 'cool' or 'trendy' the way 'hip' can in English.

Singular when plural is needed

Incorrect: Tiene la cadera ancha.

Correct: Tiene las caderas anchas.

When describing the overall hip area or body shape, Spanish typically uses the plural caderas because the measurement spans both sides of the body.

Lock in Hip 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 Cadera used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using cadera in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Me duele la cadera cuando camino largas distancias. 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 Hip in Spanish

How do you say 'hip replacement' in Spanish?: The standard medical term is reemplazo de cadera, though in Spain you may also hear prótesis de cadera (hip prosthesis). Both terms are used in hospital settings, with prótesis being slightly more technical and referring specifically to the artificial joint itself.
Why are 'caderas' so important in Latin dance?: Latin dance styles like salsa, merengue, bachata, and cumbia emphasize fluid hip movement as a core technique. The phrase mover las caderas (to move the hips) is practically synonymous with dancing in many Spanish-speaking cultures, and hip isolation exercises form the foundation of beginner dance classes.
What is the difference between 'cadera' and 'cintura'?: Cadera refers to the hip joint and the bony area at the widest part of the pelvis, while cintura means waist, the narrower area above the hips. In body measurement terms, la medida de cadera is the hip measurement taken around the widest point, and la medida de cintura is the waist measurement taken at the narrowest point of the torso.