Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Shoulder in Spanish: How to Say Hombro and Use It Naturally
Hombro · noun · OHM-broh
Shoulder in Spanish is hombro, referring to the body part where the arm meets the torso. Spanish also uses hombro in figurative expressions like 'arrimar el hombro' (to lend a hand).
Two syllables: OHM-broh. The h is silent. Stress falls on the first syllable.
Me duele el hombro derecho desde ayer.
My right shoulder has been hurting since yesterday.
Shoulder in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for shoulder, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| hombro | shoulder | OHM-broh | Default, widely understood |
| acotamiento | shoulder | road shoulder (Mexico) | |
| arcén | shoulder | road shoulder (Spain) |
How Native Speakers Use Hombro
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Describing a shoulder injury
El doctor me dijo que tengo una lesión en el hombro izquierdo.
The doctor told me I have an injury in my left shoulder.
Medical contexts are one of the most frequent uses of hombro.
Using a figurative expression
Todos tenemos que arrimar el hombro para terminar a tiempo.
We all have to pitch in to finish on time.
Arrimar el hombro literally means to bring your shoulder close, figuratively to help out.
Describing clothing fit
Esta chaqueta me queda ancha de los hombros.
This jacket is too wide in the shoulders for me.
When discussing how clothes fit, hombros (plural) comes up frequently.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Hombro
Pronouncing the h in hombro
Incorrect: HOM-broh (with an English h sound)
Correct: OHM-broh (silent h)
Hombro begins with a mute h, so the first sound is the open O vowel. Aspirating it as in English shoulder or house marks you as a non-native speaker immediately.
Using hombro for the shoulder of a road
Incorrect: Estaciona en el hombro de la carretera.
Correct: Estaciona en el acotamiento. (Mexico) / Estaciona en el arcén. (Spain)
Unlike English, Spanish does not use hombro for road shoulders. Each region has its own term: acotamiento, arcén, berma, or hombrillo.
Lock in Shoulder 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 Hombro used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using hombro in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Me duele el hombro derecho desde ayer. 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 Shoulder in Spanish
- How do you say shoulder in Spanish?
- The body-part shoulder is hombro (OHM-broh). It is masculine: el hombro. The plural is los hombros.
- What does 'arrimar el hombro' mean?
- It means to pitch in or lend a hand. Literally it translates to 'bring your shoulder closer,' evoking the image of putting your shoulder to a task.
- How do you say 'shoulder to shoulder' in Spanish?
- Say hombro a hombro or hombro con hombro. Both are used and carry the same meaning of standing or working closely together.