Pelo o cabello? Crespo o rizado?

Question

Pelo and cabello both mean hair? Crespo and rizado both mean curly?
Is there any difference in using these words?

Answer 1

I think pelo is more refering to any other hair that is not on you head (arm, leg, animal) and cabello refers to hair on your head

Thank you! Gracias! - Neffgirl, MAY 27, 2010

I hope the experts weigh in before she runs with this answer, I am pretty sure pelo is good on the head as well! - LateToDinner, MAY 27, 2010

I hope so too, LateToDinner. I think cabello is just a subcategory of pelo, so both can be used interchangeably. - tamalmalamarrado, MAY 27, 2010

I think its use is regional - 0074b507, MAY 27, 2010

Answer 2

Pelo is the general term for hair. Cabello is used exclusively to mean hair that grows in a human's head (male or female). Vello is any human hair that grows in any part of the human body except for the head: vello facial or vello púbico are examples. Both, cabello and vello are pelo. However, animals that have hair is described as pelo or melena. In short, using pelo to mean cabello is correct, as cabello is a subcategory of pelo.

Thank you! Gracias! - Neffgirl, MAY 27, 2010

Answer 3

I use "Pelo" when at talking to family and at the hair salon, the lady who cuts my hair says "Pelo" and my grandmother who is from Belize says "Pelo" for Hair (like on your head).

that is why she is a peluquera (hairdresser) peluquería=hair salon - 0074b507, MAY 27, 2010

Thank you! Gracias! And thank you for your vote, too. - Neffgirl, MAY 27, 2010

Answer 4

From what I understand (and people, correct me if I'm wrong), in Spain "pelo" is the hair on your head or the hair on your body, but anywhere else you use "cabello" for your head and "pelo" for your body.