apesta
“apesta” means “stinks” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
stinks
Also: smells awful
📝 In Action
¡Qué asco! El contenedor de reciclaje apesta.
A2Gross! The recycling bin stinks.
Mi perro se revolcó en el barro y ahora apesta a humedad.
B1My dog rolled in the mud and now he smells foul (stinks) of dampness.
sucks
Also: is disgusting
📝 In Action
Esa película apesta, no pierdas tu tiempo viéndola.
B2That movie sucks (is terrible), don't waste your time watching it.
Mi trabajo apesta, el ambiente es muy tóxico.
C1My job is awful (sucks), the atmosphere is very toxic.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: apesta
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'apesta' in its figurative, informal meaning?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Spanish word *peste* (plague or stench), which itself derives from the Latin *pestis* (plague, disease, or infection). The verb originally meant 'to cause a plague' but evolved to mean 'to cause a stench' and later, figuratively, 'to be terrible.'
First recorded: Medieval Spanish
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'apesta' a rude word?
When used literally (to describe a bad smell), it is just a strong descriptive word. When used figuratively (to say something 'sucks'), it is very informal and can be considered strong language, so it's best reserved for casual conversations with friends.