Breakdown of Abre la boca suavemente nomás.
abrir
to open
la
the (feminine)
la boca
the mouth
nomás
just (simply) / go ahead
Questions & Answers about Abre la boca suavemente nomás.
What exactly does nomás do at the end of this sentence?
Why does the sentence use la boca instead of tu boca?
In Spanish, when talking about body parts, you almost always use the definite article (la, in this case) instead of a possessive adjective like tu when it is obvious whose body part is involved. Since the command is directed at you, it is already understood that it is your mouth.
Since abre is the informal tú command, would a doctor or dentist actually speak this way?
It depends on the country and the patient. A doctor might use the formal abra (usted) with an adult patient to show professional respect. However, if speaking to a child, or in countries with a more informal culture where tú is the default even in many professional settings, abre is perfectly normal. Combining it with nomás adds a comforting bedside manner.
Could nomás go somewhere else in the sentence?