"El cabello" or "el pelo" ?
Which word for hair is better to use "el cabello" or "el pelo" and what is the difference between them. Which one is more popular and more correct in Spain?
I would like to know also if it is better to say "el coche" or "el automovíl" when I talk about car. Which is more correct and what is the difference between them?
4 Answers
Agnes, it depends on where you are and with whom you are speaking.
You haven't put your location on your profile. That would help.
It is my understanding that "El coche" is the term used in Latin America. "El auto" is used in Spain. If you say, "el coche" in Spain, they would look at you as strangely as if we said in the U.S. "I'm going to get the coach." Yeah, like the stagecoach?
Here is an interesting link to learn to pronounce car parts.
Cabello usually refers to head hair. Pelo can refer to any hair on the body. This is not carved in stone. Each person and country may choose one word over the other. I personally use pelo all the time.
En España se dice pelo. Por ejemplo, me he cortado el pelo. Cabello lo podemos utilizar más con un sentido médico, por ejemplo, tienes el cabello graso, y necesitarías este tipo de champú ....
If you'll type in the words in the box under "Ask a Question" you'll find these are common questions and have been asked before.
