Esta página no seu idioma

English

فارسی

العربية

Deutsch

Español

Français

日本語

한국어

中文

हिन्दी

A1 adjective #4,000 mais comum 8 min de leitura

sucio

Top 4,000

Pratique Exemplos Notas e dicas sucio em 30 segundos

Explicação sucio in your Level:

At the A1 level, 'sucio' is one of the first adjectives you learn to describe your environment. You use it in very simple sentences, usually with the verb 'estar'. You learn that 'sucio' means 'dirty' and its opposite is 'limpio' (clean). At this stage, you focus on physical objects: a dirty car, a dirty window, or dirty clothes. You must learn that the word changes based on what you are describing. If you talk about a dog (perro), it's 'sucio'. If you talk about a house (casa), it's 'sucia'. If you have two dirty books, they are 'libros sucios'. If you have two dirty tables, they are 'mesas sucias'. This is the foundation of Spanish grammar: gender and number agreement. You will mostly use 'sucio' to express a need for cleaning. For example, 'El plato está sucio' implies you need to wash it. It is a very practical word for travelers and beginners.

At the A2 level, you begin to use 'sucio' in more varied contexts and with a wider range of verbs. You might start using the verb 'ensuciar' (to get dirty) or 'ensuciarse' (to get oneself dirty). You learn to describe people's appearance more naturally, such as 'Él tiene los zapatos sucios'. You also start to encounter 'sucio' in common phrases related to daily life, like 'ropa sucia' (dirty laundry). You understand that 'estar sucio' is a temporary state. You might also begin to see the word used in simple idioms, although the literal meaning still dominates your vocabulary. You can compare things: 'Este hotel está más sucio que el otro'. You are also expected to recognize the noun form 'suciedad' (dirt) in simple signs or instructions, like 'Limpiar la suciedad'.

Cadastre-se grátis para ler a explicação completa

At the B1 level, you move beyond purely physical descriptions. You start using 'sucio' to describe behavior and situations. You learn the phrase 'jugar sucio' (to play dirty) and understand it refers to unfairness in sports or business. You can use 'sucio' to describe a 'dirty deal' (un negocio sucio) or 'dirty money' (dinero sucio). Your grammatical control allows you to use 'sucio' in complex sentences with the subjunctive, such as 'No quiero que ensucies el suelo' (I don't want you to get the floor dirty). You also start to distinguish between 'sucio' and its synonyms like 'manchado' (stained) or 'desordenado' (messy). You can participate in discussions about the environment, using 'sucio' to describe pollution in a more nuanced way, though you might start to prefer 'contaminado' in formal discussions.

Cadastre-se grátis para ler a explicação completa

At the B2 level, 'sucio' is used fluently in both literal and figurative senses. You are comfortable with idiomatic expressions like 'lavar los trapos sucios en casa'. You understand the social and cultural implications of the word. In literature or news, you can follow discussions about a 'Guerra Sucia' (Dirty War) and understand the political weight that the word 'sucio' carries in that historical context. You can use 'sucio' to describe abstract concepts like a 'dirty conscience' (conciencia sucia). Your vocabulary is large enough that you choose 'sucio' intentionally over more specific words like 'impuro', 'corrupto', or 'mugriento' to achieve a specific tone. You also understand how 'sucio' can be used as a noun in slang to insult someone's character ('Es un sucio').

Cadastre-se grátis para ler a explicação completa

At the C1 level, you have a sophisticated grasp of 'sucio'. You can use it to convey subtle irony or deep metaphor. You understand its role in regional dialects and slang across the Spanish-speaking world. You might use it in an academic essay to describe the 'dirty' side of industrialization or in a legal context to describe 'dirty' evidence or procedures. You are aware of how the word's meaning can shift slightly between Spain and Latin America. You can analyze the use of 'sucio' in film noir or gritty literature, where the 'suciedad' of the setting reflects the moral 'suciedad' of the characters. You use the word with perfect grammatical precision, even in the most complex hypothetical or conditional structures.

Cadastre-se grátis para ler a explicação completa

At the C2 level, 'sucio' is a tool for stylistic mastery. You can use it in poetry, high-level journalism, or professional oratory to evoke specific emotions. You understand the etymological roots (from Latin 'sucidus', meaning juicy or oily, which evolved to mean greasy/dirty) and how that history informs its current usage. You can play with the word's multiple meanings simultaneously, perhaps in a pun or a complex metaphor. You are indistinguishable from a native speaker in your use of 'sucio', knowing exactly when it sounds too harsh, when it is the perfect amount of informal, and when it carries the necessary moral weight. You can discuss the philology of the word and its related terms across the Romance languages.

Cadastre-se grátis para ler a explicação completa

Pratique Exemplos Notas e dicas

sucio em 30 segundos

Sucio means 'dirty' and is the basic Spanish adjective for anything that is not clean, whether physically or morally.
It must agree in gender (sucio/sucia) and number (sucios/sucias) with the noun it modifies, following standard Spanish rules.
It is almost always used with the verb 'estar' when describing a temporary physical state (e.g., 'el suelo está sucio').
Beyond physical dirt, it frequently describes unfair behavior ('jugar sucio'), corruption ('dinero sucio'), and even pollution ('aire sucio').

The word sucio is a fundamental adjective in the Spanish language, primarily translating to 'dirty' in English. At its most basic level, it describes physical objects, places, or people that are covered in grime, dust, mud, or any substance that renders them unhygienic or visually unpleasant. However, its utility extends far beyond simple physical descriptions. In the Spanish-speaking world, sucio is used to describe moral corruption, unfair behavior, and even weather conditions that lack clarity. Understanding when to use sucio versus its synonyms like manchado (stained) or mugriento (filthy) is key to achieving natural-sounding Spanish. Whether you are complaining about a restaurant's cutlery or discussing a 'dirty' political campaign, this word is your primary tool.

Physical State: Used for anything that needs cleaning, from laundry to windows. It follows the standard rules of gender and number agreement: sucio, sucia, sucios, sucias.

No quiero sentarme ahí; el suelo está muy sucio.

Moral and Ethical Use: Refers to actions that lack integrity, such as cheating in a game or engaging in corrupt business practices. It is frequently paired with the verb jugar (to play).

One of the most common mistakes for English speakers is forgetting that sucio must change to sucia when describing feminine nouns like la ropa (the clothes) or la mesa (the table). Unlike the English adjective 'dirty' which is static, the Spanish counterpart is dynamic. Furthermore, while English might use 'dirty' to mean 'obscene' (dirty jokes), Spanish often uses verde (green) or colorado (colored/red) for sexual humor, though chiste sucio is still understood. In professional settings, 'dinero sucio' refers specifically to money laundering or illicit funds, mirroring the English 'dirty money'. The word carries a strong negative connotation, so using it to describe a person's appearance can be quite offensive unless you are talking about a child who has been playing in the mud.

Ese político tiene un pasado sucio que nadie quiere mencionar.

Environmental Context: Used to describe polluted air or murky water. If a river is filled with sediment and trash, it is un río sucio.

Mastering the use of sucio requires an understanding of Spanish adjective placement and agreement. Generally, sucio follows the noun it describes, which is the standard position for descriptive adjectives in Spanish. For example, 'the dirty plate' becomes el plato sucio. However, if you want to emphasize the quality or add a poetic/stylistic flair, you might see it placed before the noun, though this is rare for such a literal word. The most important grammatical rule is the four-way agreement: sucio (masculine singular), sucia (feminine singular), sucios (masculine plural), and sucias (feminine plural).

Tengo las manos sucias después de trabajar en el jardín.

With the verb 'Estar': Since 'dirtiness' is usually a temporary state, we almost always use sucio with the verb estar. Say 'La cocina está sucia' (The kitchen is dirty right now) rather than 'La cocina es sucia' (which would imply the kitchen is inherently dirty by nature).

When discussing actions, sucio functions as an adverbial adjective in phrases like jugar sucio. Here, it doesn't change for gender or number because it is modifying the verb jugar. 'Ellos juegan sucio' means 'They play dirty.' This is a common idiomatic construction. Another frequent use is in the superlative form: sucisimo. If something is extremely dirty, you can say '¡Está sucísimo!' to add emphasis. This is very common in spoken Spanish when expressing disgust.

No puedes entrar con esos zapatos sucios a la casa.

Comparisons: To compare dirtiness, use 'más sucio que' (dirtier than) or 'el más sucio' (the dirtiest). Example: 'Mi coche está más sucio que el tuyo'.

You will encounter sucio in a vast array of real-life scenarios, ranging from domestic chores to high-stakes political news. In a household setting, it is perhaps one of the most used adjectives. Parents constantly tell their children: '¡No te ensucies!' (Don't get yourself dirty!) or point out 'Tienes la cara sucia' (You have a dirty face). In restaurants, if a glass hasn't been washed properly, you would tell the waiter: 'Este vaso está sucio, ¿me lo puede cambiar?'. It is a practical, everyday word that is essential for basic communication.

En las noticias hablaron sobre el manejo sucio de los fondos públicos.

In the Media: Journalists use sucio to describe 'dirty wars' (Guerra Sucia) or 'dirty laundry' (trapos sucios). The phrase 'lavar los trapos sucios en casa' (to wash one's dirty laundry at home) is a ubiquitous idiom meaning to settle private disputes privately.

In sports commentary, particularly in football (soccer), you will hear commentators describe a 'dirty game' (juego sucio) when there are many fouls, unsportsmanlike conduct, or time-wasting tactics. If a player receives a red card for a particularly bad tackle, it might be described as an 'entrada sucia'. In the world of business and finance, 'negocios sucios' refers to illicit deals, scams, or money laundering. Even in environmental reports, you'll hear about 'aire sucio' or 'aguas sucias' when discussing pollution levels in major cities like Mexico City or Madrid.

Fue un partido sucio con demasiadas faltas y poca deportividad.

Cinematic Context: Movie titles often use this word. For instance, 'Dirty Dancing' is known as 'Baile Caliente' in some regions, but literal translations of 'Dirty Harry' (Harry el Sucio) show how the word conveys a rugged, rule-breaking persona.

One of the most frequent errors English speakers make with sucio is failing to match the adjective to the noun's gender and number. Because 'dirty' never changes in English, learners often say 'las manos sucio' instead of the correct las manos sucias. Remember that 'mano' is feminine despite ending in 'o', making it a particularly tricky noun to pair with sucio. Another common mistake is the confusion between the adjective sucio and the verb ensuciar (to get dirty) or the noun suciedad (dirt/filth).

Incorrect: El agua es sucio. Correct: El agua está sucia.

Ser vs Estar: Using ser with sucio is a common pitfall. While 'Eres un sucio' can be said to mean 'You are a dirty/gross person' (using it as a noun), generally, physical states use estar. 'La mesa está sucia' means it needs a wipe. 'La mesa es sucia' sounds like the table is made of dirt or is inherently repulsive.

Learners also struggle with the difference between sucio and manchado. If you spill coffee on your shirt, you have a mancha (stain), and your shirt is manchada. If you drop your shirt in the mud, it is sucia. While sucio is a general term for lack of cleanliness, manchado is specific to a localized spot of dirt or color. Additionally, avoid using sucio to mean 'mean' in the sense of 'unkind' unless you are specifically referring to 'playing dirty' or 'unfair' behavior. For a 'mean person', use antipático or malo.

No confundas: 'un chiste sucio' (dirty joke) con 'un chiste verde' (more common in Spain).

Pronunciation: English speakers often over-emphasize the 'u', making it sound like 'soo-see-oh'. In Spanish, the 'u' is short and the 'io' is a diphthong, meaning it should glide quickly from 'i' to 'o'.

While sucio is the go-to word for 'dirty', Spanish offers a rich palette of synonyms that can provide more precision depending on the level of filth or the context. Understanding these nuances will elevate your Spanish from basic to intermediate or advanced. For instance, if something is just slightly dusty, you might use polvoriento. If it is extremely, disgustingly dirty, asqueroso or mugriento would be more appropriate. Each of these words carries a different weight and emotional impact.

Sucio vs. Manchado: Sucio: General lack of cleanliness (e.g., a dirty floor).
Manchado: Having a specific stain (e.g., a shirt with a wine stain).
Sucio vs. Mugriento: Sucio: Standard dirty.
Mugriento: Filthy, covered in 'mugre' (deep-seated grime or grease). Use this for a mechanic's overalls or a neglected alleyway.

Other alternatives include desordenado (messy/untidy), which refers to the arrangement of things rather than their cleanliness. A room can be desordenada but still limpia (clean). Conversely, puerco or cochino are often used as adjectives or nouns to describe something or someone that is 'pig-like' in their dirtiness. In Mexico and parts of Central America, mugre is often used as a noun for 'trash' or 'junk' as well. If you are describing a person's reputation, you might use manchado (tarnished) instead of sucio for a more formal or literary effect.

La cocina no está solo sucia, está totalmente asquerosa.

Formal Alternatives: In technical or medical contexts, you might hear contaminado (contaminated) or impuro (impure). For example, 'agua contaminada' is more precise than 'agua sucia' when talking about toxins.

How Formal Is It?

Curiosidade

The transition from 'juicy/oily' to 'dirty' happened because oily surfaces attract dust and grime more easily than dry ones.

Guia de pronúncia

UK /ˈsu.sjo/

US /ˈsu.sjo/

The stress is on the first syllable: SU-cio.

Rima com

anuncio desahucio sucio asucio (rare) enucio (archaic) reducio (non-standard) inducio (non-standard) lucio (fish/bright)

Erros comuns

Pronouncing it as three syllables (su-ci-o) instead of two (su-cio).
Over-extending the 'u' sound like an English 'u'.
Failing to use the 'th' sound for 'c' in parts of Spain (though 'sucio' uses 's', so this applies to other words).

Nível de dificuldade

Leitura 1/5

Very easy to recognize in text due to its frequency.

Escrita 2/5

Requires attention to gender and number agreement.

Expressão oral 2/5

Pronunciation of the 'io' diphthong can be tricky for beginners.

Audição 1/5

Clear and distinct sound in most dialects.

O que aprender depois

Pré-requisitos

limpio estar el/la ropa manos

Aprenda a seguir

ensuciar mancha asqueroso mugre limpiar

Avançado

corrupción inmoral contaminación pátina impureza

Gramática essencial

Adjective-Noun Agreement

La casa (fem) + sucia (fem).

Estar vs Ser with Adjectives

La ventana está sucia (current state).

Adverbial Adjectives

Ellos juegan sucio (no agreement because it acts as an adverb).

Superlative '-ísimo'

El baño está sucisimo (extremely dirty).

Reflexive Verbs for Change of State

Me ensucié (I got myself dirty).

Cadastre-se grátis para ler a explicação completa

Exemplos por nível

El coche está muy sucio.

The car is very dirty.

'Está' is used because dirtiness is a state.

Tengo las manos sucias.

I have dirty hands.

'Sucias' is feminine plural to match 'manos'.

Este plato está sucio.

This plate is dirty.

'Sucio' matches the masculine singular 'plato'.

La mesa de la cocina está sucia.

The kitchen table is dirty.

'Sucia' matches 'mesa'.

¿Por qué están sucias tus botas?

Why are your boots dirty?

'Sucias' matches 'botas'.

No me gusta el baño sucio.

I don't like the dirty bathroom.

Adjective follows the noun 'baño'.

El perro está sucio después del parque.

The dog is dirty after the park.

Simple subject-verb-adjective structure.

Esa ventana está muy sucia.

That window is very dirty.

'Esa' and 'sucia' both match 'ventana'.

No quiero ponerme esa camisa sucia.

I don't want to put on that dirty shirt.

'Sucia' modifies 'camisa'.

El niño se ensució la cara con chocolate.

The boy got his face dirty with chocolate.

Uses the reflexive verb 'ensuciarse'.

Hay mucha suciedad en esta calle.

There is a lot of dirt on this street.

Uses the noun 'suciedad'.

Tus zapatos están más sucios que los míos.

Your shoes are dirtier than mine.

Comparative 'más... que'.

Siempre dejas los vasos sucios en el salón.

You always leave the dirty glasses in the living room.

'Sucios' matches 'vasos'.

Lava la ropa sucia, por favor.

Wash the dirty clothes, please.

'Ropa sucia' is a common collocation.

El aire de la ciudad está sucio hoy.

The city air is dirty today.

Metaphorical use for pollution.

No comas con las manos sucias.

Don't eat with dirty hands.

Imperative 'no comas'.

Ellos ganaron porque jugaron sucio.

They won because they played dirty.

'Sucio' acts as an adverb here.

Es un negocio sucio y no quiero participar.

It's a dirty business and I don't want to participate.

Figurative use for illicit activity.

Me molesta que el suelo siempre esté sucio.

It bothers me that the floor is always dirty.

Uses the subjunctive 'esté'.

No dejes que los niños ensucien la alfombra nueva.

Don't let the children get the new carpet dirty.

Subjunctive after 'dejar que'.

Ese político tiene las manos sucias.

That politician has dirty hands.

Idiom for corruption.

El río está tan sucio que no puedes nadar.

The river is so dirty that you can't swim.

'Tan... que' construction.

Fue una jugada sucia por parte del equipo rival.

It was a dirty move by the rival team.

'Jugada sucia' means unfair play.

Prefiero no lavar los trapos sucios en público.

I prefer not to wash dirty laundry in public.

Idiomatic use of 'trapos sucios'.

La Guerra Sucia dejó una marca profunda en el país.

The Dirty War left a deep mark on the country.

Proper noun/Historical term.

No soporto su lenguaje sucio y grosero.

I can't stand his dirty and rude language.

Refers to profanity/obscenity.

El cristal estaba tan sucio que apenas se veía el jardín.

The glass was so dirty that the garden was barely visible.

Descriptive precision.

Intentaron manchar mi nombre con trucos sucios.

They tried to tarnish my name with dirty tricks.

'Trucos sucios' implies deception.

Escondió el dinero sucio en una cuenta extranjera.

He hid the dirty money in a foreign account.

'Dinero sucio' refers to illegal funds.

La conciencia sucia no le dejaba dormir por las noches.

A dirty conscience wouldn't let him sleep at night.

Abstract/Moral usage.

El callejón estaba oscuro y mugriento, más que sucio.

The alley was dark and filthy, more than just dirty.

Comparing 'sucio' with 'mugriento'.

Hicieron un pacto sucio para controlar el mercado.

They made a dirty pact to control the market.

'Pacto sucio' implies collusion.

La película retrata el realismo sucio de los suburbios.

The film portrays the dirty realism of the suburbs.

Literary/Artistic term 'realismo sucio'.

Se vio envuelto en un sucio asunto de espionaje industrial.

He found himself involved in a dirty affair of industrial espionage.

'Sucio asunto' implies a complex, unethical situation.

La campaña electoral se convirtió en un lodazal sucio y personal.

The electoral campaign turned into a dirty and personal quagmire.

Metaphorical 'lodazal' (muddy place) paired with 'sucio'.

A pesar de su apariencia sucia, el diamante era auténtico.

Despite its dirty appearance, the diamond was authentic.

Contrast between appearance and reality.

Su mirada sucia me hizo sentir muy incómoda.

His dirty look made me feel very uncomfortable.

'Mirada sucia' implies inappropriate intent.

El autor utiliza una prosa sucia para evocar la decadencia.

The author uses dirty prose to evoke decadence.

Metaphorical use in literary criticism.

No es más que un sucio chantaje para obtener lo que quieren.

It is nothing more than dirty blackmail to get what they want.

'Sucio chantaje' emphasizes the immorality.

La ciudad amaneció bajo una capa sucia de calima.

The city woke up under a dirty layer of haze.

Evocative weather description.

La ontología de lo sucio ha sido debatida por diversos filósofos.

The ontology of the dirty has been debated by various philosophers.

Using 'lo sucio' as an abstract noun.

Su trayectoria profesional está plagada de manejos sucios y sombras.

His professional career is riddled with dirty dealings and shadows.

Sophisticated metaphorical language.

El cuadro representaba la belleza intrínseca de lo sucio y lo olvidado.

The painting represented the intrinsic beauty of the dirty and the forgotten.

Aestheticizing a negative quality.

Se despojó de su pasado sucio mediante un acto de contrición pública.

He shed his dirty past through an act of public contrition.

High-level narrative style.

La dialéctica entre lo limpio y lo sucio estructura la narrativa.

The dialectic between the clean and the dirty structures the narrative.

Academic literary analysis.

No permitas que la suciedad de la política empañe tus ideales.

Don't let the dirtiness of politics tarnish your ideals.

Subjunctive with complex metaphor.

La pátina sucia del tiempo confería al mueble un valor histórico.

The dirty patina of time gave the furniture a historical value.

'Pátina sucia' used in a positive/historical sense.

Aquel sucio rincón de la memoria que prefería no visitar.

That dirty corner of memory that he preferred not to visit.

Deeply metaphorical/Literary.

Colocações comuns

ropa sucia

platos sucios

jugar sucio

dinero sucio

trapos sucios

manos sucias

negocio sucio

conciencia sucia

juego sucio

truco sucio

Frases Comuns

Estar sucio

— To be dirty at the moment.

Mi coche está sucio por la lluvia.

Ponerse sucio

— To get oneself dirty or to become messy.

El niño se puso sucio jugando en el jardín.

Sacar los trapos sucios

— To reveal someone's secrets or past mistakes.

En la discusión, ella sacó todos sus trapos sucios.

Hacer el trabajo sucio

— To do the unpleasant or unethical tasks for someone else.

Él siempre manda a su asistente a hacer el trabajo sucio.

Guerra sucia

— A conflict involving unethical tactics or state terrorism.

Muchos países han pasado por una guerra sucia.

Ver sucio

— To perceive something as immoral or wrong (less common).

Veo sucio que mientas a tus padres.

Oler a sucio

— To have the smell of something unwashed.

Esta habitación huele a sucio, abre la ventana.

Coche sucio

— A very common sight; a car needing a wash.

Escribieron 'lávame' en mi coche sucio.

Piso sucio

— A dirty floor or apartment.

No camines descalzo por el piso sucio.

Cara sucia

— A dirty face, often said to children.

Ven aquí, que tienes la cara sucia.

Frequentemente confundido com

sucio vs manchado

'Sucio' is general; 'manchado' means there is a specific spot or stain.

sucio vs desordenado

'Sucio' means lack of cleanliness; 'desordenado' means lack of organization.

sucio vs asqueroso

'Sucio' is a fact; 'asqueroso' is an emotional reaction of disgust.

Expressões idiomáticas

"Lavar los trapos sucios en casa"

— To settle private matters privately without involving outsiders.

No deberías contar nuestros problemas a los vecinos; hay que lavar los trapos sucios en casa.

informal/common

"Jugar sucio"

— To act in an unfair, dishonest, or unethical way to gain an advantage.

Ganaron el contrato porque jugaron sucio con la competencia.

neutral

"Tener las manos sucias"

— To be involved in something illegal or corrupt.

Ese empresario tiene las manos sucias en varios casos de soborno.

neutral

"Hacer el trabajo sucio"

— To perform the most difficult, unpleasant, or morally dubious parts of a job.

El jefe nunca despide a nadie; hace que el gerente haga el trabajo sucio.

neutral

"Sacar los trapos sucios"

— To expose someone's hidden faults or scandalous secrets.

Los periodistas sacaron los trapos sucios del candidato justo antes de la elección.

informal

"Dinero sucio"

— Money obtained through illegal activities like drug trafficking or theft.

Intentaron blanquear el dinero sucio a través de un restaurante.

neutral

"Tener la conciencia sucia"

— To feel guilty about something one has done.

No tiene la conciencia sucia porque cree que hizo lo correcto.

neutral

"Ponerse sucio"

— In some contexts, to start acting in a mean or aggressive way.

La discusión se puso sucia cuando empezaron los insultos.

informal

"Verlo todo sucio"

— To have a pessimistic or suspicious outlook on everything.

Desde que lo engañaron, lo ve todo sucio.

informal

"Un sucio"

— Used as a noun to describe a person with no principles.

No te fíes de él, es un sucio.

slang/offensive

Fácil de confundir

sucio vs manchado

Both relate to lack of cleanliness.

Manchado refers to a localized stain (coffee, ink). Sucio refers to general dirt (mud, dust).

Mi camisa está sucia porque trabajé en el jardín, y ahora está manchada de hierba.

sucio vs desordenado

A messy room is often both.

Desordenado means things are out of place. Sucio means things are not washed.

Mi cuarto está desordenado, pero no está sucio; no hay polvo.

sucio vs mugriento

Both mean dirty.

Mugriento is much stronger and implies thick, oily grime.

Tus manos no están solo sucias, están mugrientas.

sucio vs verde

Used for 'dirty' jokes.

In Spanish, 'chiste verde' is more common than 'chiste sucio' for sexual humor.

Contó un chiste verde en la cena.

sucio vs puerco

Used to describe dirty people.

Puerco is an insult comparing someone to a pig; sucio is a description.

¡No seas puerco y límpiate!

Padrões de frases

[Noun] está sucio/a.

El perro está sucio.

Tengo [Noun] sucios/as.

Tengo los pies sucios.

No me gusta [Noun] sucio/a.

No me gusta el coche sucio.

[Subject] juega sucio.

Ese equipo juega sucio.

Es un/una [Noun] sucio/a.

Es un negocio sucio.

[Subject] tiene la conciencia sucia.

Ella tiene la conciencia sucia.

[Subject] se vio envuelto en un sucio asunto de...

Se vio envuelto en un sucio asunto de política.

Lo sucio de [Concept]...

Lo sucio de la guerra es inevitable.

Família de palavras

Substantivos

suciedad (dirtiness)

sucio (as a noun: a dirty person)

ensuciamiento (the act of getting dirty)

Verbos

ensuciar (to dirty/to soil)

ensuciarse (to get oneself dirty)

Adjetivos

sucio (dirty)

sucisimo (very dirty)

ensuciado (dirtied)

Relacionado

mugre

mancha

limpieza

aseo

desorden

Cadastre-se grátis para ver todos os exemplos

Como usar

frequency

Very high; among the top 1000 most common Spanish words.

Erros comuns

Las manos sucio → Las manos sucias
'Mano' is feminine, so the adjective must be 'sucias'. This is a very frequent error.
El coche es sucio → El coche está sucio
Dirtiness is usually a temporary state, so 'estar' is the correct verb.
Ellas juegan sucias → Ellas juegan sucio
In the idiom 'jugar sucio', 'sucio' acts as an adverb and does not change for gender or number.
Un chiste sucio (in Spain) → Un chiste verde
While 'sucio' is understood, 'verde' is the idiomatic way to describe 'dirty' or sexual jokes in Spain.
Estoy sucio (meaning 'I feel bad') → Me siento mal / Tengo mala conciencia
In English, 'I feel dirty' can be emotional. In Spanish, 'estoy sucio' almost always means physically dirty.

Dicas

Watch the endings

Always remember the four forms: sucio, sucia, sucios, sucias. It's the most common mistake for English speakers.

Estar is your friend

90% of the time you will use 'estar' with 'sucio'. If you use 'ser', make sure you mean it's a permanent or moral quality.

Learn 'ensuciar'

The verb 'ensuciar' is just as useful as the adjective. 'No ensucies el suelo' is a very common command.

Use 'Trapos sucios'

Impress natives by using 'lavar los trapos sucios en casa' when talking about private family or business matters.

The Diphthong

Practice saying 'sucio' in two beats: SU-CIO. Don't let it turn into three beats.

Regional Slang

In Mexico, 'cochino' is very common for dirty. In Spain, 'guarro' is the favorite slang for something gross.

Avoid Overuse

In formal writing, instead of 'agua sucia', try 'agua contaminada' or 'agua turbia' (cloudy water).

Be careful with people

Don't tell a friend 'eres sucio' unless you want to offend them. Say 'estás sucio' if they just have some dirt on them.

Foul Play

'Juego sucio' is the perfect term for when a team is being unfair or aggressive.

Lucio is not sucio

Remember the name Lucio. Lucio is clean, he is not sucio. Rhyming helps memory retention.

Memorize

Mnemônico

Think of a 'SUit' that is 'CIO' (soiled). If your SUit is SuCIO, it is dirty.

Associação visual

Imagine a white shirt with a giant, muddy 'S' on the front. S for Sucio.

Word Web

limpio (opposite) ensuciar (verb) suciedad (noun) manos (common noun) ropa (common noun) jugar (common verb) dinero (common noun) conciencia (abstract)

Desafio

Try to find five things in your house right now that are 'sucios' and say them out loud: 'El plato está sucio', 'El espejo está sucio', etc.

Origem da palavra

From the Latin 'sucidus', which meant 'juicy', 'sappy', or 'oily'.

Significado original: Originally referred to things that were greasy or oily, like unwashed wool (lana sucida).

It is a Romance word, related to the Italian 'sucido' (though 'sporco' is more common) and French 'suinte' (grease in wool).

Contexto cultural

Be careful when calling a person 'sucio'. It can imply they are 'gross' or 'disgusting' as a person, not just that they have dirt on them. Use 'estás sucio' (temporary) rather than 'eres sucio' (permanent trait) to be safer.

In English, 'dirty' can be used playfully (e.g., 'dirty thirty'). In Spanish, 'sucio' is rarely playful and usually carries a negative or literal weight.

'Harry el Sucio' (Dirty Harry movie) 'Realismo Sucio' (Literary movement including authors like Bukowski, popular in Spain/LatAm) 'La Guerra Sucia' (Historical period)

Pratique na vida real

Contextos reais

At home

La ropa sucia está en la cesta.
Los platos están sucios.
El suelo está sucio.
No ensucies la alfombra.

In a restaurant

Este tenedor está sucio.
La mesa está un poco sucia.
¿Puede limpiar esto? Está sucio.
El vaso tiene una marca sucia.

In sports

Fue un juego muy sucio.
Él juega sucio para ganar.
Esa fue una entrada sucia.
No me gusta el juego sucio.

Talking about people

Tienes la cara sucia.
Él siempre tiene los zapatos sucios.
Es un hombre sucio (morally).
Tiene las manos sucias (corrupt).

Environment

El aire está sucio hoy.
El río está muy sucio.
Esa playa está sucia de plástico.
La ciudad está sucia.

Iniciadores de conversa

"¿Crees que esta ciudad está más sucia que la tuya?"

"¿Qué haces cuando ves que alguien juega sucio en un deporte?"

"¿Tienes mucha ropa sucia para lavar este fin de semana?"

"¿Alguna vez has comido en un restaurante que parecía sucio?"

"¿Cómo evitas que tus hijos se pongan sucios cuando juegan fuera?"

Temas para diário

Describe un lugar que visitaste que estaba muy sucio y cómo te sentiste.

Escribe sobre una situación en la que alguien jugó sucio contigo.

¿Prefieres limpiar los platos sucios inmediatamente o esperar al día siguiente?

Reflexiona sobre el término 'Guerra Sucia' y lo que significa para la historia.

Haz una lista de cinco cosas que consideras 'sucias' en un sentido moral.

Perguntas frequentes

10 perguntas

Usually 'estar' because dirtiness is a temporary state. 'La mesa está sucia'. Use 'ser' only if you are using 'sucio' as a noun or describing an inherent character trait: 'Él es un sucio' (He is a gross person).

Yes, you can say 'palabras sucias' or 'chistes sucios', but it is more common to use 'palabrotas' for swear words or 'chistes verdes' for sexual jokes.

Literally 'ropa sucia'. Idiomatically, 'trapos sucios' is used when talking about secrets or scandals.

The feminine plural is 'sucias'. Example: 'Las ventanas están sucias'.

It can be. Calling someone 'un sucio' implies they have no morals or are physically disgusting. It is quite strong.

Use the verb 'ensuciar' or the reflexive 'ensuciarse'. 'Me ensucié los pantalones'.

'Sucio' is the standard word for dirty. 'Mugriento' implies a lot of 'mugre' (thick grime or grease) and is more informal and stronger.

In the phrase 'jugar sucio', it does not change because it is functioning as an adverb. You say 'Ellas juegan sucio', not 'sucias'.

Yes, 'aire sucio' is common, though 'aire contaminado' is more formal and precise.

Common synonyms include 'manchado' (stained), 'mugriento' (filthy), 'asqueroso' (disgusting), and 'cochino' (pig-like).

Cadastre-se grátis para ver dicas e notas