Quick answer
Solo las puntas, por favor.
Just the ends, please. Las puntas literally means the tips, and it is the phrase that saves you from a short cut.
The words
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la peluquería | the hair salon |
| el peluquero | the hairdresser |
| el pelo | the hair |
| el corte | the cut |
| las puntas | the ends |
| el flequillo | the fringe |
| la raya | the parting |
| las tijeras | the scissors |
| el secador | the hairdryer |
| el champú | the shampoo |
| la barba | the beard |
| el tinte | the hair dye |
| la cita | the appointment |
| cortar | to cut |
| lavar | to wash |
The phrases you will actually say
Worth knowing
Say cortarme el pelo, not cortar mi pelo: with body parts Spanish uses the definite article plus a reflexive pronoun, so me lavo las manos, never lavo mis manos. The word for hair is singular, so tengo el pelo rizado, and los pelos means loose individual hairs, which is not a compliment. In Spain a small neighbourhood peluquería often takes walk-ins in the morning and appointments later, while a men-only barbería has made a strong comeback in cities. Do not ask for un corte de pelo a la moda and expect precision; bring a photo. Tipping is not expected in Spanish salons, unlike in much of Latin America, where a small propina is normal. Watch the regional split on hair texture: rizado is curly in Spain, while chino is used for curly hair in Mexico.
Practice
Practise your hairdresser words
0/8 matched — tap a Spanish word, then its translation
Check yourself
How do you ask for just the ends to be cut?