20 Beautiful Spanish Words and Expressions to Learn
Discover 20 unusual and expressive Spanish words and phrases, with clear English meanings and usage notes.
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Video: 30 common Spanish words1. Impío (m) / impía (f)2. Dadivoso (m) / dadivosa (f)3. Orate4. Dédalo5. Execrable6. Etéreo (m) / Etérea (f)7. Petricor8. Efímero (m) / Efímera (f)9. Perenne10. Inefable11. Inmarcesible12. Serendipia13. Ademán14. Ataraxia15. Inconmensurable16. Ornitorrinco17. Pavonearse18. Muérgano19. Dilapidar20. Vergüenza ajenaSee also:Pin this!Spanish has many vivid and interesting words. Here are 20 of our favorites, with notes to help you understand their meanings and use them accurately.
Several are literary, old-fashioned, philosophical, or regional rather than everyday vocabulary, so pay attention to the usage notes.
Video: 30 common Spanish words
1. Impío (m) / impía (f)
Meaning: impious; lacking piety or respect for religion.
2. Dadivoso (m) / dadivosa (f)
Meaning: generous or giving. In everyday Spanish, generoso is more common.
3. Orate
Meaning: a mad or mentally disturbed person. This term is old-fashioned and can be offensive when applied to a person.
4. Dédalo
Meaning: maze or labyrinth. The word comes from Daedalus, the builder of the Labyrinth in Greek mythology, and is mainly literary.
5. Execrable
Meaning: appalling, abhorrent, or deserving strong condemnation. It is much stronger than desagradable, which simply means unpleasant.
6. Etéreo (m) / Etérea (f)
Meaning: ethereal; extremely delicate, light, or seemingly intangible.
7. Petricor
Meaning: petrichor, the distinctive earthy smell produced when rain falls on dry ground.
8. Efímero (m) / Efímera (f)
Meaning: ephemeral, fleeting, or short-lived.
9. Perenne
Meaning: perennial, enduring, or continual. Depending on the context, permanente may be a more familiar alternative.
10. Inefable
Meaning: ineffable; impossible to express adequately in words.
11. Inmarcesible
Meaning: unfading or unable to wither. By extension, it can describe something enduring or imperishable.
12. Serendipia
Meaning: serendipity; a fortunate discovery made by chance.
13. Ademán
Meaning: gesture, movement, or manner. It can refer to a movement that expresses an attitude or intention.
14. Ataraxia
Meaning: ataraxia; a philosophical state of imperturbability and serenity.
15. Inconmensurable
Meaning: immeasurable or impossible to measure. It is also used figuratively for something immense.
16. Ornitorrinco
Meaning: platypus. This semiaquatic mammal has a broad, duck-like bill.
17. Pavonearse
Meaning: to strut, preen, or show off proudly, like a peacock.
18. Muérgano
Meaning: a useless old object in Colombia, or a coarse, rude person in Ecuador. This is a regional word, not a general synonym for someone mean-spirited.
19. Dilapidar
Meaning: to squander or waste, especially money, wealth, or other resources. Malgastar is a more familiar alternative.
20. Vergüenza ajena
Meaning: secondhand embarrassment; the embarrassment you feel because of another person’s behavior.
See also
10 Beautiful Spanish Love Quotes that will Melt Your Heart
40 DE LAS MÁS BELLAS PALABRAS DEL CASTELLANO. ¿ESTÁN VUESTRAS FAVORITAS?
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