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"Piel" is a noun which is often translated as "skin", and "pellejo" is a noun which is also often translated as "skin". Learn more about the difference between "piel" and "pellejo" below.
la piel(
pyehl
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
1. (epidermis)
el pellejo(
peh
-
yeh
-
hoh
)A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
a. skin (of animal or human)
Más vale evitar comer el pellejo del pollo.It's better to avoid eating chicken skin.
b. hide (of animal)
El pellejo de los animales se utiliza para hacer ropa y calzado.Animal hide is used for making clothes and footwear.
b. hangnail (on fingernail)
No te muerdas los pellejos de las uñas; puedes provocar una infección.Don't bite your hangnails, you can cause an infection.
a. skin (of a fruit or vegetable)
Prefiero comer el durazno sin pellejo.I prefer to eat the peach without its skin.
a. wineskin
Antiguamente se guardaba el vino en grandes pellejos.In the old days, wine was kept in big wineskins.
5. (figurative) (life)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
a. skin
Se salvó el pellejo sin ayudar a nadie más.He saved his own skin without helping anyone else.
6. (colloquial) (drunk man)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
