Understanding ‘Makeover’ in Spanish: Different Terms for Image and Appearance

Understanding ‘Makeover’ in Spanish: Different Terms for Image and Appearance

Translating makeover into Spanish can be a bit tricky because it covers a broad range of meanings from a simple style change to a comprehensive transformation. The terms cambio de imagen, cambio de apariencia, and nuevo look can all convey a similar concept, but each has its specific implications and uses.

Variations of Image and Appearance

The terms cambio de imagen (cambio de aparición) and nuevo look are used to describe a change in one's appearance or an updated image. Here are some examples:

CAMBIO DE IMAGEN A change in our imagen or CAMBIO DE APARIENCIA A change in our appearance: "A Carmela le hicieron UN NUEVO LOOK que le queda muy bien." They gave Carmela a New Look that goes well with her. "Maana me van a hacer un CAMBIO DE IMAGEN total." Tomorrow they are going to give me a total make-over. NUEVA IMAGEN or nuevo look: "Su CAMBIO DE APARIENCIA no me gusta." I do not like the change in his or her appearance. "La NUEVA IMAGEN de Fernando no es tan buena como la que tenía." Fernando's new image is not as good as the one he had.

Examples of a Makeover

To get a makeover, you can use different expressions:

Obtener “Una nueva apariencia”: Ella se operó la nariz y obtuvo una nueva apariencia. - She had a nose job and gained a new appearance. Obtener “Un nuevo look”: Ella se maquilló y peinó a la moda y obtuvo un nuevo look. - She put on makeup and styled her hair according to the latest trends and gained a new look. Obtener “Cambio de imagen”: él necesitaba un cambio de imagen para ser tomado en cuenta. - He needed a change of image to be taken seriously.

Understanding “Looks” in Spanish

The term look in Spanish can be masculine or feminine, and it has the same meaning as in English. According to the official Spanish dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy, on the masculine form: “Look: masculine. Imagen o aspecto de las personas o las cosas.” - Look: masculine. Image or aspect of people or things.

Alternative Terms for Overhauls

If you are talking about a make-over in the sense of refurbishing something other than a person, there are other Spanish terms to use:

Remodelar: To renovate or refurbish something like a house, furniture, etc. Reconstruir: To rebuild or reconstruct something like a car or a machine.

In summary, makeover in Spanish can be translated using different terms like cambio de imagen, cambio de apariencia, nuevo look, nueva imagen, and remodelar based on the context and the object that is being transformed.

Keywords: makeover, imagen, appearance