Why learn about body parts in English?

Learning the names of various parts of the body in English can be helpful for a variety of situations. Let's take a look at a few of them.

  1. Describing yourself or other people
    To describe someone's appearance, you'll need vocabulary words like face, hair, eyes, and so on.
  2. Understanding idiomatic expressions and common sayings
    The English language uses body parts in many idioms and common expressions! Phrases such as a sweet tooth, cold shoulder, or itchy feet are used almost daily in English. Knowing the anatomy will make it easier to understand these expressions.
  3. Visiting a doctor
    If you’re experiencing some health issues, injuries, or pain, you’ll likely need to visit a doctor. Knowing the different body parts in English will help you communicate your symptoms to your doctor and avoid major miscommunication.

How to say “body” in English

So, let's start with the most basic word: body (baa-dee).

Body (noun): The whole physical structure that forms a person or animal, including the bones, flesh, and organs.

We usually use the word “body” with adjectives that describe it. For example:

  • She has a fantastic body thanks to her workout routine.
  • His muscular body felt weak because of the virus.
  • The hard part is to keep your body fit after you have stopped playing sports.

Head in English

Head is another essential word in English. The head is the uppermost part of the body. The word “head” means the whole human or animal head, but it can also mean the top or front of an object. The head forms other important words such as headache (when your head hurts) or idioms.

Your head has many parts. Let's explore some vocabulary related to the head.

Face parts in English

Here are some of the most important words describing different face parts. Let’s dive into it!

English Pronunciation Synonyms and slang
Head hed Noggin (Irish), nut, dome, noodle
Face feɪs Mug
Ears ɪəz -
Eyes aɪz Peepers
Nose nəʊz Schnozz, honker, beak (all referring to a big nose)
Chin tʃɪn -
Cheeks tʃiks -
Forehead fɒrɪd -
Jaw dʒɔ -
Eyebrows aɪbraʊz -
Eyelashes aɪlæʃɪz -
Temple templ̩ -
Nostril nɒstrəl -
Lips lɪps -
Mouth maʊθ Trap, pie hole (both very rude)
Teeth/tooth tiθ / tuθ Choppers
Tongue tʌŋ -
Hair heə -
Neck nek -

Other parts

Now that you’re familiar with different face parts in English, it’s time to wrap your head around external body parts (pun intended).

English Pronunciation
Shoulders ʃəʊldəz
Right shoulder raɪt ʃəʊldə
Left shoulder left ʃəʊldə
Elbow elbəʊ
Forearm fɔrɑm
Left arm left ɑm
Right arm raɪt ɑm
Wrist rɪst
Hand hænd
Right hand raɪt hænd
Left hand left hænd
Fingers fɪŋɡəz
Thumb θʌm
Index finger/pointer finger ɪndeks fɪŋgə / pɔɪntə fɪŋɡə
Middle finger mɪdl fɪŋɡə
Ring finger rɪŋ fɪŋgə
Pinky finger pɪŋki fɪŋɡə
Knuckles nʌkl̩z
Nails neɪlz
Chest tʃest
Breast brest
Waist weɪst
Hips hɪps
Left leg left leɡ
Right leg raɪt leɡ
Knee ni
Thigh θaɪ
Calf kɑf
Ankle æŋkl̩
Foot/feet fʊt / fit
Right foot raɪt fʊt
Left foot left fʊt
Toes təʊz
Big toe bɪg təʊ

Other inside body parts

Have you ever had butterflies in your stomach? How about a broken heart? Knowing your internal organs is a must, not only to express your feelings but also to express discomfort or pain.

English Pronunciation
Brain breɪn
Lungs lʌŋz
Heart hɑt
Kidney kɪdni
Liver lɪvə
Stomach stʌmək
Pancreas pæŋkrɪəs
Large intestine lɑdʒ ɪntestɪn
Small intestine smɔl ɪntestɪn
Diaphragm daɪəfræm
Oesophagus isɒfəɡəs
Spleen splin
Veins veɪnz
Rectum rektəm
Gallbladder ɡɒlblædə
Bladder blædə
Appendix əpendɪks

Songs about body parts

Learning body parts in English doesn’t have to be boring! There are many songs to help you remember this vocabulary. If you’re a music lover, you’ll have fun learning body parts in English through songs.

Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes – Super Simple Songs

“Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” is an old favorite that has been sung for generations. It's a great song to teach children parts of the body in English, together with some basic motor skills.

Put Your Head on My Shoulder – Paul Anka

If you’re not into children's songs, we’ve got you covered! “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” by Paul Anka is one of the most romantic songs ever, mentioning various body parts.

Hips Don’t Lie – Shakira

Are you more into dancing than singing? You can move your hips right to the rhythm of this Shakira song while learning about limbs.

Idioms about body parts

Many phrases and expressions use parts of the body in English. Some of them are pretty obvious, but it's easy to forget the less literal ones. Here are some useful body part idioms in English you can add to your anatomy vocabulary list:

Body part idiom Meaning
Keep your chin up Stay cheerful and optimistic even when something bad has happened, or there are problems
Let your hair down Relax
By the skin of your teeth By a very narrow margin
Break a leg! Used to wish someone good luck on an exam, test, or interview
Keep someone at arm’s length Keep someone at a distance
Pick someone’s brain Ask someone a lot of questions about something they are good at
Have butterflies in your stomach Feel excited or nervous about something, especially an important event or a date
Have a broken heart Suffer because of a love disappointment
Have something on the tip of your tongue Almost remember something you want to say
Stick your neck out Accept a risk, usually to defend someone or something
Get something off your chest Open up about something
Give someone a hand Help someone
Cost an arm and a leg Be very expensive
Bite your tongue Stop yourself from saying something
Be on your toes Be alert
A slap on the wrist Minor punishment
Tear your hair out Be very frustrated or worried about something
Be all eyes and ears Be very attentive
Turn a blind eye Choose not to pay attention to something
Lend an ear Be ready to listen to someone
Keep your head above Have enough money to live on but not much more than that; manage to survive financially
Get a head start Have an advantage at the beginning of something (a race)
Use your head Think before you speak or act

Fun tips to help you learn body part names faster

Not really into learning body parts vocabulary by heart or by singing songs? No worries! There are other ways to learn about the human anatomy.

Here are some tips to help you learn them faster:

1. Make it a game

Playing games is a dynamic and fun way to learn new vocabulary and memorize it more quickly! There are many games that you can play to learn body parts in English. Our favorite ones are:

Simon says: This is probably the most common game to learn about limbs. This game helps you remember the names of some of the most important body parts by touching the body part that “Simon” names. This game is best played in a group.

Alphabet game: This game consists of writing down as many words starting with each letter of the alphabet, from A to Z, as you can come up with. In this case, it would be all the limbs and appendages that you can think of! For example, A for Abdomen, B for Back, C for Chest, etc.

Quiz or trivia game: If you’re not into children’s games, you can play something more ambitious and informative, such as a quiz or trivia game related to body parts.

Kahoot and Quizizz are two websites full of fun quizzes to learn new vocabulary in English (and other languages).

2. Use images and flashcards

Using images and flashcards is one of the best ways to learn English vocabulary, especially if you have a visual memory. You can create your own or find ready-made ones on the internet.

Once you find the flashcards or images you like, print them out or save them on your phone. Look at them during your free time, while waiting in line, or while eating. Check our more vocabulary memorization tips and tricks here.

3. Practice with conversation cards

This is a great way to use human body part vocabulary in a real conversation. You can print out conversation cards and practice with a friend or family member.
Write down questions related to body parts, cut them up, and place them in a bag or box. Take turns asking each other questions from the box.

Ready to sink your teeth in?

Learning parts of the body in English can seem challenging at first because there’s a lot of new vocabulary you’ll need to master! However, learning body parts in English is pretty easy – and fun – with flashcards, games, and songs.

Let your hair down, enjoy the journey and have fun, instead of rushing into learning everything at once.

We hope that this article encourages you to learn about human anatomy and parts. Want to learn even more useful vocabulary in English? Discover 107 interesting ways to say hi or 109 animal names in English.