How to Get a Haircut in Spanish: Vocabulary and Conversation
Are you ready to learn everything there is to know about asking for a haircut in Spanish?
If you plan to travel to or live in a Spanish-speaking country, you’ll probably want to get a haircut at some point. And by knowing the proper vocabulary, you’ll avoid ending up with a strange bowl cut or bangs you never asked for!
Keep reading to equip yourself with the necessary Spanish words and phrases to ask for the exact haircut you need.
Basic Haircut Vocabulary in Spanish
From the haircut place to the style that you want, you will need this list of haircut terms to get started.
| English | Spanish |
| Appointment | La cita |
| Bangs | El flequillo |
| Barber | El barbero or la barbera |
| Barber shop | La barbería |
| Beard | La barba |
| Curly hair | El cabello rizado |
| Date | La fecha |
| Hair bleach | El decolorante para cabello |
| Haircut | El corte de cabello |
| Hairdresser | El estilista or la estilista |
| Hair dye | El tinte para cabello |
| Layers | Las capas |
| Long hair | El cabello largo |
| Mustache | El bigote |
| Salon | El salón / la peluquería |
| Short hair | El cabello corto |
| Straight hair | El cabello liso |
| Week | La semana |
Basic Phrases for Your Haircut and Hairstyle in Spanish
Your hair has grown a lot, you can’t remember when the last time you got a haircut was, and your split ends are constantly bothering you. Check out these phrases that will help you feel confident when making an appointment and get back the hairstyle you want.
To make an appointment – hacer una cita
Quisiera hacer una cita, por favor.
I would like to make an appointment, please.
To get a hair cut – cortarse el cabello, un corte de cabello
Necesito cortarme el cabello.
I need to get a haircut.
Quiero un corte de cabello.
I want a haircut.
To trim – recortar
Quiero recortar mi cabello, por favor.
I want to get my hair trimmed, please.
To get bleached – decolorarse
Quisiera decolorarme el pelo, por favor.
I would like to get my hair bleached.
To get dyed – teñirse
Quisiera teñirme el pelo, por favor.
I would like to get my hair dyed.
Ombré hair shading – degradado
Quisiera un tinte degradado.
I would like an ombré hair shading.
Hair Styles For Women in Spanish
Don’t let the language barrier stop you from looking amazing when working or studying abroad or just visiting a new country.
When you get to the salon, you want to be clear about the hairstyle you want. This guide on different haircut styles in Spanish can help!
To make it easier for you, here are some formulas that you can use:
1. Necesito + un corte + style
The beauty of hair salons is the fact that you can ask for any style you want and your hairdresser can make it a reality. Here are some common types of styles you may ask for:
- tradicional – Traditional
- corto – Short
- degrafilado – Tapered
- en capas – Layered
- largo único – one-length
- flequillo en cortina – Curtain bangs
- redondeado corto – Rounded bob
- en cortina – Draped
Necesito un corte tradicional.
I need a traditional haircut.
2. Lo quiero + _______ + body part
It’s common to use the Spanish pronoun lo to refer to “my hair” (mi cabello), which is the translation for the object pronoun “it.” Similar to English, you can use body parts to indicate the length of haircut you want.
Important prepositional phrases you need to know are:
- a nivel de – at the level of
- por debajo de – under
- por arriba de – above
- a la or al (body part) – to (body part)
Lo necesito a nivel del pecho.
I need a chest-length haircut.
Lo quiero por debajo de la barbilla.
I want it under my chin.
Lo quiero por arriba de los hombros.
I want it above my shoulders.
Lo quiero a la barbilla.
I want it at the level of my chin.
3. Quisiera + hacerme + style
It’s common to add the reflexive pronoun -me at the end of the verb hacer (to do) when telling the hairdresser or barber that you want “to get” a hairstyle done.
Quisiera hacerme flequillo.
I would like to get bangs.
Quisiera hacerme degrafilado.
I would like to get my hair tapered.
4. Quiero + cortarme + el cabello + style
Quiero cortarme el cabello muy corto.
I want to get a very short haircut.
5. Me + puede + verb for styling + el cabello
Ask for your favorite style of hair using these verbs:
- alisar – To straighten
- rizar – To curl
- tirar hacia atrás – To sweep back
- hacer ondas – To wave
- trenzar – To braid
- despeinar – To tousle
- dar volumen – To puff
- hacer mechas – To make (highlights)
¿Me puede alisar el cabello por favor?
Can you straighten my hair, please?
¿Me puede rizar el cabello, por favor?
Can you curl my hair, please?
¿Me puede hacer mechas, por favor?
Can you make highlights on my hair, please?
And you can combine the previous formula with the pronoun lo as seen before:
¿Me lo puede trenzar, por favor?
Can you braid it, please?
6. Quisiera + mi cabello + style
Quisiera mi cabello en capas.
I would like my hair in layers.
Lo quisiera en capas.
I would like it in layers.
Hair Styles for Men in Spanish
Big meeting, important interview, new and unknown country? Make sure to look dashing wherever you go!
Here are lots of tips on how to ask for a haircut in Spanish easily.
Using the same formulas we saw above, you can pick from one of the styles below that suit your taste.
| English | Spanish |
| buzz cut | rapado |
| classic haircut | corte de cabello clásico |
| high- fade | en degradado alto |
| long fringe | con flequillo largo |
| low-fade | en degradado bajo |
| medium length | en largo medio |
| on the sides | de los lados |
| on the top | de arriba |
| short hair | el cabello corto |
| spiky hair | el cabello erizado |
Example Spanish Sentences
Lo quiero en degradado alto, por favor.
I want it to be high-fade, please.
Lo quiero en largo medio, por favor.
I want it medium length, please.
Quisiera hacerme un corte de cabello corto.
I would like to get a short haircut.
Quisiera un corte de cabello erizado.
I would like a spiky haircut.
Quisiera hacerme un corte de cabello clásico.
I would like a classic haircut.
Quisiera hacerme un corte de pelo corto de los lados y largo de arriba.
I would like a haircut, short on the sides and long on the top.
Your Beard Style in Spanish
If you want to combine a great haircut with a neat beard, here are some useful expressions and verbs in Spanish.
Remember that you can use the tips listed above about pronouns.
- retocar – To retouch
- tallar – To sculpt
- rasurar – To shave off
- peinar – To comb
- dejar crecer – To let grow
- dar mantenimiento – To upkeep
- dar forma – To shape up
Quiero retocarme la barba, por favor.
I would like to retouch my beard, please.
¿Me puede recortar la barba, por favor?
Can you trim my beard, please?
Estoy dejándome crecer la barba.
I am letting my beard grow.
Quiero dar mantenimiento a mi barba.
I want to upkeep my beard.
Quisiera dar forma a mi barba.
I want to shape up my beard.
Hair Care in Spanish
While you can pick the best barber or hairdresser in town, the way you take care of your hair is important, too! And if you’re a foreigner in a Spanish-speaking country, you can purchase hair care products just as easily as you get your haircut in Spanish.
Here is some vocabulary to talk about your hair:
| English | Spanish |
| ends | las puntas |
| split ends | las puntas abiertas |
| roots | las raíces |
| scalp | el cuero cabelludo |
Describe Your Hair
The following adjectives always follow el cabello or mi cabello.
For example: el cabello fortalecido (fortified hair)
| English | Spanish |
| damaged | dañado |
| dry | seco |
| fortified | fortalecido |
| greasy | grasoso |
| moisturized | hidratado |
| opaque | opaco |
| soft | suave |
| shiny | brilloso |
| tangled | enredado |
| weak | débil |
Example Spanish Sentences
Mi cabello está seco.
My hair is dry.
Mi cabello es grasoso.
My hair is greasy.
Tengo el cabello opaco.
I have opaque hair.
Quiero un cabello fortalecido.
I want a fortified hair.
Quiero fortalecer las puntas de mi cabello.
I want to fortify my hair ends.
Learn More About Hair Products
Here are some more specific hair products you may be interested in using:
| English | Spanish |
| conditioner | el acondicionador |
| detangling conditioner | el acondicionador para desenredar |
| dry shampoo | el shampoo en seco |
| hair mask | la mascarilla para el cabello |
| hair treatment | el tratamiento para el cabello |
| shampoo | el shampoo |
Example Spanish Questions
¿Qué producto puedo utilizar?
What product can I use?
¿Qué producto recomienda?
What product do you recommend?
¿Qué producto utilizo para cabello dañado?
What product do I use for damaged hair?
Example Spanish Sentences
Necesito un shampoo y acondicionador, por favor.
I need shampoo and conditioner, please.
Quisiera una mascarilla para cabello seco, por favor.
I would like a hair mask for dry hair, please.
¿Qué tratamiento puedo utilizar para cabello grasoso ?
What treatment can I use for greasy hair?
Give and Get Compliments in Spanish
Every time we go to the salon, we feel like someone new. A new look makes us feel better, refreshed, and it surely calls the attention of people close to us. And when we see someone we know with a fresh look, the first thing we do is compliment them!
Giving Compliments About a New Haircut
¿Te cortaste el cabello?
Did you get a haircut?
¡Me encanta tu nuevo corte de cabello!
I love your new haircut!
¿Es un nuevo look?
Is that a new look?
¿En dónde te cortaste el cabello?
Where did you get a haircut?
¡Ese nuevo corte te queda genial!
That new haircut looks great on you!
Receiving Compliments About a New Haircut:
¡Sí! Me corté el cabello ayer.
Yes! I got a haircut yesterday.
¡Gracias! Quería cambiar de look.
Thanks! I wanted to change my look.
¡Sí! Es un nuevo look. ¿Te gusta?
Yes! It is a new look. Do you like it?
Me corté el cabello en…
I got a haircut at…
Talking About a Bad Haircut
We’ve all had at least one terrible experience trying to get a haircut, and if you haven’t, lucky you!
When referring to getting a bad haircut, here are some phrases in Spanish:
No me gusta mi nuevo corte de cabello.
I don’t like my new haircut.
Me hicieron un mal corte de cabello.
I got a bad haircut.
Este no es el corte que pedí.
This is not the haircut I asked for.
Learn Spanish With a Native Speaker and Explore The World
Traveling can be quite scary when you don’t know the language people speak there, but don’t let that be a limitation for you. With our online classes, learning Spanish will be easy, fun, and effective! And after you’ve had the experience of talking 1-on-1 with a native speaker, there will be no challenges for you in any country you decide to visit.
Expand your horizons and be open to meeting new people with different cultures by signing up for your free Spanish class today!
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