Body Verbs

In Spanish many nouns are turned into verbs. Below are some of the parts of the body which can be changed into verbs.

Bracear - Swimming
Bracear - Swimming

Bracear – to stroke as in swimming or swing one’s arms and comes from the word brazo which means arm
Cabecear – to move one’s head, nod off or hit a ball with one’s head and comes from the word cabeza which means head
Codear – means to elbow someone. Codearse means to hobnob or rub shoulders with people. Both  versions come from the word codo which means elbow.
Colear – means to move or wag one’s tail or is used when the back part of a cars skids from side to side. It comes from the word cola which means tail.
Culatear – is used when a gun kicks (recoil) and comes from the word culo which means butt. The butt of a rifle is la culata
Dedear – means to move a finger and come from the word dedo which means finger.
Dentar – means to teethe and comes from the word dientes which means teeth
Hociconear – means brag and comes from the hocicón which is an animal’s snout or an insulting name for one’s mouth
Hombrear – to shoulder or to help and comes from the word hombro which means shoulder
Lengüetear – to lick or stick out one’s tongue and comes from lengua which means tongue
Manosear – means to fondle and comes from the word mano which means hand
Nalguear – means to spank which comes from the word nalgas which means butt
Ojear – means to stare at and comes from the word ojos which means eyes. Don’t confuse this with hojear which means to leaf through a book or turn pages.
Palmear – means to pat or clap and comes from the world palma which means the palm of the hand
Patear – means to kick and comes from the word pata which is an animal’s foot. El pie is the proper term for a person’s foot.
Parpadear – means to blink or flicker which comes from eye-lid párpado
Pestañear – to wink or blink or flutter one’s eyelashes and comes form the word pestaña which is eye-lash
Respaldar – means to back or support someone and comes from espalda which is a person’s back
Talonear – to walk fast or hurry. Comes from the word talón which means the heel of the foot or shoe.
Vergear – means to beat with a rod  or hit someone (very vulgar) and comes from the word verga which is a vulgar word for penis. In Costa Rica we say pichacear to beat someone up (vulgar). Madrear is also used occasionally.

Related Tiquismo

  • Culear or culiar (vulgar) – to fornicate and comes from culo which means butt. Volar rabo is also used in Costa Rica.
  • Jetear – means to talk a lot of crap and comes from jeta which is a slang word for mouth in Costa Rica
  • Sin pestañear – without batting an eye
  • Estar vivo y coleando – to be alive and kicking