absurdo
/ahb-SOOR-doh/
absurd
Something is absurdo (absurd) when it is contrary to reason, like using an umbrella indoors to catch leaves falling from a ceiling fan.
absurdo(adjective)
absurd
?contrary to reason
,ridiculous
?silly or nonsensical
preposterous
?completely unreasonable
,nonsensical
?without meaning
📝 In Action
La idea de ir a la playa en medio de la tormenta es completamente absurda.
B1The idea of going to the beach in the middle of the storm is completely absurd.
Su argumento era tan absurdo que nadie lo tomó en serio.
B2His argument was so ridiculous that no one took him seriously.
Las reglas del nuevo juego son absurdas y muy difíciles de seguir.
B1The rules of the new game are nonsensical and very difficult to follow.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender and Number Agreement
As an adjective, 'absurdo' must change its ending to match the noun it describes: 'absurdo' (masculine singular), 'absurda' (feminine singular), 'absurdos' (masculine plural), or 'absurdas' (feminine plural).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting Agreement
Mistake: "La situación es absurdo."
Correction: La situación es absurda. (Since 'situación' is feminine, the adjective must also be feminine.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Emphasis
To really emphasize how absurd something is, you can use intensifiers like 'completamente absurdo' (completely absurd) or 'totalmente absurdo' (totally absurd).
A nonsensical situation, or absurdity, is the meaning of this noun form of absurdo, depicted here by a dog ironing a banana peel.
📝 In Action
El absurdo de la burocracia nos hizo esperar cinco horas.
C1The absurdity of the bureaucracy made us wait five hours.
El escritor exploró el tema del absurdo en su última novela.
C2The writer explored the theme of the absurd in his last novel.
💡 Grammar Points
Use with Articles
When used as a noun, it almost always takes the masculine singular article 'el' (el absurdo) or 'un' (un absurdo).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: absurdo
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the adjective form of 'absurdo'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make 'absurdo' negative?
Since 'absurdo' already means something is contrary to reason, you usually don't need a negative. If you want to say something is *not* absurd, you would use an antonym like 'lógico' (logical) or 'sensato' (sensible).
Can I use 'absurdo' to describe a person?
Yes, you can use it to describe a person's behavior or statements (e.g., 'Es un hombre con ideas absurdas' - He is a man with absurd ideas). However, using it directly as 'Él es absurdo' usually implies his entire personality or manner is nonsensical.