aburrido

/ah-boo-REE-doh/

boring

A dull gray rectangular box sits alone on a brightly lit stage. A person in the foreground is yawning widely, clearly uninterested.

When something is inherently uninteresting, it is described as aburrido (boring).

aburrido(Adjective)

m (masculine form, changes to aburrida for feminine, and adds -s for plural)A1

boring

Describing a characteristic of a thing or person

Also:

dull

Describing an activity or place

tedious

Describing a task

📝 In Action

Esa clase de historia es muy aburrida.

That history class is very boring.

No me gusta su trabajo; es un trabajo aburrido y repetitivo.

I don't like his job; it's a dull and repetitive job.

Word Connections

Synonyms

monótono (monotonous)
soso (bland/dull)

Antonyms

interesante (interesting)

Common Collocations

película aburrida – boring movie
vida aburrida – dull life

💡 Grammar Points

Aburrido with SER (Characteristic)

When 'aburrido' describes a thing or person's permanent quality—that they are boring by nature—you must use the verb SER: 'La fiesta es aburrida' (The party is boring).

⭐ Usage Tips

Remember the -o/-a ending

Make sure the ending of 'aburrido' matches the thing you are describing: 'un libro aburrido' (masculine) vs. 'una tarea aburrida' (feminine).

A small child sitting alone at a wooden table, resting their head on their crossed arms with a listless expression, surrounded by colorful but untouched toys.

Feeling tired and uninterested in what you are doing is being aburrido (bored).

aburrido(Adjective)

m (masculine form, changes to aburrida for feminine, and adds -s for plural)A1

bored

Describing a temporary emotional state

Also:

fed up

Figurative: tired of something

uninterested

Lacking interest at the moment

📝 In Action

Estoy aburrido porque no hay nada que hacer.

I am bored because there is nothing to do.

Mis hermanos están aburridos de esperar el autobús.

My siblings are bored of waiting for the bus.

Ella estaba aburrida con la conversación.

She was bored with the conversation.

Word Connections

Synonyms

harto (fed up)
desinteresado (uninterested)

Antonyms

entretenido (entertained)

Common Collocations

estar aburrido – to be bored
sentirse aburrido – to feel bored

💡 Grammar Points

Aburrido with ESTAR (State/Emotion)

When 'aburrido' describes a temporary feeling or state—that someone is feeling bored right now—you must use the verb ESTAR: 'Yo estoy aburrido' (I am bored).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing Ser and Estar

Mistake: "Using SER when you mean 'to feel bored': 'Soy aburrido.'"

Correction: Use ESTAR for feelings: 'Estoy aburrido.' (Saying 'Soy aburrido' means 'I am a boring person.')

⭐ Usage Tips

Expressing the Cause

If you want to say why you are bored, use 'de' or 'con': 'Estoy aburrido de la tarea' (I am bored of the homework) or 'Estoy aburrido con mi vida' (I am bored with my life).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: aburrido

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'aburrido' to mean that the speaker finds the book dull?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

aburrir(to bore) - verb

aburrimiento(boredom) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'ser aburrido' and 'estar aburrido'?

'Ser aburrido' describes a permanent quality, meaning someone or something *is* boring (dull). 'Estar aburrido' describes a temporary state or emotion, meaning someone *feels* bored (unengaged).

Is 'aburrido' a verb or an adjective?

It is most commonly used as an adjective (meaning 'bored' or 'boring'). However, it is also the past participle of the verb 'aburrir' (to bore), used to form perfect tenses or passive voice.