Face or face?

Question

Hi guys! Wish you all a Merry Christmas!! El rostro means face or countenance. for example, su rostro nunca parece cambiar de expresión. My question is, in which context do we use this word, and is it used only in certain countries, because I know it is used in Spain, but is it used in other spanish speaking countries as well, or la cara is the only word used there?

Thank you so much!

Answer 1

I'm not really sure but I think it's a matter of preference. I use "la cara" or "el rostro" interchangeably and equally.

Thank you leumas11!! - marksteve, Dec 23, 2015

Answer 2

I was thinking to myself that it might be a reigional preference, like in Spain they use el rostro along with la cara, but in Mexico for example, they don't use el rostro at all.

You can hear "la cara" more colloquially in speech but "el rostro" when you try to sound more formally or in books, too. But no big deal if you say it when having a regular conversation. - leumas11, Dec 24, 2015

Thank you leumas11!! this makes sense - marksteve, Dec 24, 2015