brutal
“brutal” means “brutal” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
brutal, harsh
Also: savage, cruel
📝 In Action
La policía usó una fuerza brutal contra los manifestantes.
B1The police used brutal force against the protesters.
El invierno en Siberia es brutal, con temperaturas bajo cero.
B2Winter in Siberia is harsh (brutal), with temperatures below zero.
awesome, incredible
Also: extreme, wicked
📝 In Action
¡Ese concierto fue brutal! Tocaron mis canciones favoritas.
B2That concert was awesome! They played my favorite songs.
Tienes un coche brutal; ¿cuánto corre?
C1You have an amazing car; how fast does it go?
El dolor de cabeza que tengo es brutal.
C1The headache I have is intense (extreme).
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: brutal
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'brutal' in its modern, positive slang meaning?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes directly from the Latin *brutalis*, which is related to *brutus*, meaning 'heavy,' 'dull,' or 'senseless.' This origin explains the traditional meaning of cruelty or lack of reason. The modern Spanish slang meaning (awesome) is a recent twist, where 'extreme' or 'intense' became positive.
First recorded: 15th century (in Spanish)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
¿Brutal es masculino o femenino?
'Brutal' is an adjective that doesn't change based on gender. It works for both: 'el coche brutal' and 'la película brutal.' You only need to change it for plural: 'los coches brutales'.
If I use 'brutal' in Latin America, will people understand the positive meaning?
It depends on the region and context. While the positive meaning is spreading, many Latin American countries still primarily associate 'brutal' with its traditional, negative meaning (harsh, cruel). To be safe, use synonyms like 'genial' or 'chévere' if you want to express 'awesome' in Latin America.