"Nose" in Spanish is la nariz. It's feminine even though it ends in -z, and in the plural the z turns into c: las narices. To breathe through your nose, use por: Respira por la nariz.
Written by Isabella García, Language Content Manager at WordyUpdated October 4, 2026
Hear "nariz" in a real movie scene
A tickle right before a sneeze. The video starts and stops on that line.
Cosquillas en la nariz.
A tickle in my nose.
The old turtle master stands under a tree with his eyes closed, something tickles his nose, and a sneeze is on its way. Notice la in front of nariz, because the word is feminine.
From Kung Fu Panda 3 · Spanish audio
Nose phrases for colds, sneezes and nosy people
Five phrases you'll need sooner or later.
Spanish
English
sonarse la nariz
to blow your nose
tener la nariz tapada
to have a stuffy nose
Tengo mocos.
I have a runny nose.
estornudar
to sneeze
meter las narices
to stick your nose in, to pry
Tip: When someone sneezes, say ¡Salud! It's the Spanish bless you.
Grammar: la nariz, las narices
Four points that are special to this word.
Feminine, despite the -z
la nariz, una nariz pequeña. The -z ending doesn't tell you the gender: el lápiz is masculine.
Z becomes c in the plural
nariz → narices. Spanish spelling prefers c before e, so the z switches to c.
Through the nose: por
Respira por la nariz.Por is the word for through here, and the article la replaces your.
My nose itches
Me pica la nariz.Picar works like gustar: the nose is the subject, and me tells you whose nose it is.
Example sentences
Sentences from the Wordy Spanish course. Tap to listen.
Tranquilo, respira por la nariz, lento.
Easy, breathe slowly through your nose.
También me duele la nariz.
My nose hurts too.
Me pica la nariz.
My nose itches.
Tiene la nariz pequeña.
She has a small nose.
Common mistakes
Mistakes learners make with this word, and how to fix them.
✗el nariz
✓la nariz
The z ending fools many learners. Nariz is feminine.
✗las narizes
✓las narices
Before -es, the z changes to c in writing.
✗Mi nariz está corriendo (meaning I have a runny nose)
✓Tengo mocos
Noses don't run in Spanish. People say tengo mocos, literally I have mucus.
Practice: 3 quick exercises
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1 of 3 · Watch and choose
What do you hear in the video?
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How to remember it
Nariz starts like nasal. Hum a nasal "nnnn" and feel where it buzzes: that's your nariz.
La nariz. Latin America says it nah-REES, and most of Spain says nah-REETH.
Is nariz masculine or feminine?
Feminine: la nariz, una nariz grande, even with the -z at the end.
What is the plural of nariz?
Las narices. The z becomes c before the -es ending.
How do you say "blow your nose" in Spanish?
Sonarse la nariz: Me sueno la nariz. The verb is reflexive, so it takes me, te or se.
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