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agrio

ah-gree-oh/ˈa.ɣɾjo/

“agrio” means “sour” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

sour, tart

Also: spoiled
General
A bright yellow lemon cut in half on a clean wooden surface, showing its juicy segments.

📝 In Action

No me gusta este limón porque es muy agrio.

A1

I don't like this lemon because it is very sour.

Huele la leche; creo que está agria.

A2

Smell the milk; I think it is spoiled.

Las manzanas verdes tienen un sabor agrio que me encanta.

B1

Green apples have a tart taste that I love.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • ácido (acidic/sour)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • leche agria – sour milk
  • sabor agrio – sour taste
  • fruta agria – sour fruit

bitter, harsh

Also: surly
A grumpy-looking cartoon cloud with a frown and crossed arms, colored in a dull grey.

📝 In Action

Desde que perdió su trabajo, tiene un carácter muy agrio.

B2

Since he lost his job, he has a very bitter personality.

Me dio una respuesta agria cuando le pedí ayuda.

C1

She gave me a harsh response when I asked for help.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • carácter agrio – bitter character
  • respuesta agria – harsh response

Idioms & Expressions

  • ponerse agrio – to become grumpy or irritable

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "agrio" in Spanish:

bitter→harsh→sour→spoiled→surly→tart→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: agrio

Question 1 of 3

If you leave milk out of the fridge and it goes bad, you would say:

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
agriar(to turn sour/to make bitter) — Verb
agridulce(bittersweet) — Adjective
agriedad(sourness) — Noun
vinagre(vinegar) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
sagriodescarrio
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'acer' meaning sharp or piercing, which later became 'acrus' in vulgar Latin to describe sharp tastes.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: acridFrench: aigreItalian: agro

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'agrio' to describe a person who is sad?

No, 'agrio' describes irritability or harshness, not sadness. For sad, use 'triste'.

Is 'ácido' the same as 'agrio'?

They are very close! 'Ácido' is a bit more scientific (acidic), while 'agrio' is the common word used for the taste of food.

Does 'agrio' change if the object is feminine?

Yes! It follows the standard rule: 'agrio' for masculine nouns and 'agria' for feminine nouns.