Body Parts in English: 50+ Words With Pronunciation

English is the most widely learned second language in the world. According to Ethnologue’s 2024 data, nearly 1.5 billion people speak it as a first or second language, and it has official status in 67 countries. Body-part vocabulary is one of the first and most practical topics every English learner should master, for doctor visits, emergency care, sports and fitness, or simply explaining where something hurts.

For English speakers, two typical difficulties come up when learning English body-part vocabulary. The first is conceptual splitting: in English, we often use two words where another language uses one, for example leg (the whole lower limb) versus foot (below the ankle). Similarly, arm (shoulder to wrist) versus hand (below the wrist). The second difficulty is irregular plurals: foot → feet, tooth → teeth, man → men, you need to watch for these, especially in medical contexts.

"Body-part vocabulary is among the first semantic fields that language learners internalize, because it is universally relevant and emotionally salient, we all have the same body, which makes cross-linguistic mapping both intuitive and surprisingly tricky where category boundaries differ."

(David Crystal, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, Cambridge University Press, 2019)

This guide presents 50+ English body-part words in organized groups: head and face, torso, upper limbs, lower limbs, internal organs, and finally the most common English body-part idioms. For each word, you will find a pronunciation guide and useful notes. With the Wordy app, you can practice these words in real English content too.

The head and face

The head and face are the first and most frequently mentioned body-part group. In this group, most words are one syllable and easy to pronounce, which makes it ideal for starting. The only pronunciation challenge may be forehead: although it looks like “fore-HEAD” in writing, you will commonly hear /ˈfɔːrhɛd/ or /ˈfɔːrɪd/, with the latter being a more informal British pronunciation.

Useful sentences about the head and face

• I have a headache (/aɪ hæv ə ˈhɛdeɪk/): I have a headache
• My eyes are tired (/maɪ aɪz ər ˈtaɪərd/): My eyes are tired
• I have a toothache (/aɪ hæv ə ˈtuːθeɪk/): I have a toothache
• My jaw is sore (/maɪ dʒɔː ɪz sɔːr/): My jaw is sore

The torso

Body parts on the torso are especially important in medical contexts. According to the British Council’s 2023 global English teaching research, body-part vocabulary, especially the torso and internal organs, are the words learners most often look up before medical visits.

Useful sentences about the torso

• My back hurts (/maɪ bæk hɜːrts/): My back hurts, one of the most searched medical complaints in English
• I have pain in my chest (/aɪ hæv peɪn ɪn maɪ tʃɛst/): I have pain in my chest, a critical sentence in an emergency
• I have a stiff neck (/aɪ hæv ə stɪf nɛk/): I have a stiff neck
• My shoulder is sore (/maɪ ˈʃoʊldər ɪz sɔːr/): My shoulder is sore

Upper limbs (arm, hand)

In upper-limb vocabulary, remember that arm runs from the shoulder to the wrist, and it includes the elbow. hand starts exactly at the wrist. This split is very clear in English, and it matters in medical situations.

Useful sentences about the upper limbs

• I broke my wrist (/aɪ broʊk maɪ rɪst/): I broke my wrist
• My elbow is swollen (/maɪ ˈɛlboʊ ɪz ˈswoʊlən/): My elbow is swollen
• I cut my finger (/aɪ kʌt maɪ ˈfɪŋɡər/): I cut my finger
• Can you give me a hand? (/kæn juː ɡɪv miː ə hænd/): Can you help me? (idiomatic)

Lower limbs (leg)

For lower-limb vocabulary, focus most on the difference between leg and foot, as mentioned in the torso section. Another common issue is the irregular plural of foot, which is feet. This matters because the unit of length also uses feet in the plural (1 foot = 30,48 cm).

Useful sentences about the lower limbs

• My knee hurts (/maɪ niː hɜːrts/): My knee hurts
• I twisted my ankle (/aɪ ˈtwɪstɪd maɪ ˈæŋkəl/): I twisted my ankle
• I have a blister on my heel (/aɪ hæv ə ˈblɪstər ɒn maɪ hiːl/): I have a blister on my heel
• My feet are sore (/maɪ fiːt ər sɔːr/): My feet are sore

The pronunciation of thigh can also surprise learners: the gh is silent here too, just say /θaɪ/, like the English word “thy.”

Internal organs (simplified list)

Knowing internal organs is essential for medical consultations. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, these words form one of the oldest and most stable layers of English health vocabulary. Most trace back to medical terminology via Latin or Old French.

The most important medical sentences about internal organs:

• I have chest pain (/aɪ hæv tʃɛst peɪn/): I have chest pain, always tell healthcare staff
• My stomach is upset (/maɪ ˈstʌmək ɪz ʌpˈsɛt/): My stomach is upset / I feel nauseous
• I have kidney pain (/aɪ hæv ˈkɪdni peɪn/): I have kidney pain
• I feel short of breath (/aɪ fiːl ʃɔːrt əv brɛθ/): I feel short of breath, for lung-related symptoms

Body-part expressions and idioms in English

English is extremely rich in body-part based idioms. Merriam-Webster lists hundreds. These expressions are not literal, but without them, much of the humor and meaning in real English movies and series gets lost. Here are the most common ones you will definitely meet in real English content.

Break a leg!

break a leg (/breɪk ə lɛɡ/), literally “break a leg,” actually means “good luck!” People mainly say it before a performance, appearance, or exam. The origin is debated, but it is linked to theater. Some theories connect it to “taking a bow,” which involves bending at the ankle or knee, as a symbol of success.

Cost an arm and a leg

cost an arm and a leg (/kɒst ən ɑːrm ənd ə lɛɡ/), literally “it costs an arm and a leg,” means something is extremely expensive. “That car costs an arm and a leg” means that car is insanely expensive.

Turn a blind eye

turn a blind eye (/tɜːrn ə blaɪnd aɪ/), literally “turn a blind eye to something,” means to deliberately ignore something. “The manager turned a blind eye to the problem.” The origin is often linked to Admiral Nelson, who supposedly held his telescope to his blind eye so he would not have to follow a retreat signal.

Keep an eye on

keep an eye on (/kiːp ən aɪ ɒn/), literally “keep an eye on something,” means to watch or look after someone or something. “Can you keep an eye on my bag?” It is an everyday and very useful expression.

Irregular plurals: summary table

When you learn body-part vocabulary, pay special attention to irregular plurals. You cannot reliably derive them from a rule, you need to memorize them.

In medical and sports contexts, these come up most often. “teeth” and “feet” are real inflection traps, even more advanced learners often make mistakes in spoken communication.

Practice with real English content

Learning English body-part vocabulary starts with lists, but real retention happens when you hear the words in natural context. In medical dramas (for example, Grey's Anatomy), sports commentary, action movies, and everyday conversations, these words come up again and again, and each encounter strengthens your memory.

With the Wordy app, you can watch English movies and series with interactive subtitles. If an unfamiliar body-part word is spoken or appears in the subtitles, you can tap once to see the pronunciation, the translation, and the context. This is one of the most effective ways to make shoulder, wrist, shin, and the rest become active vocabulary, not just items on a list.

You should also check our guide to the best movies for learning English: we share curated recommendations to help you find movies where everyday vocabulary about the body, health, and sports appears in natural dialogue.