burgués
“burgués” means “middle-class” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
middle-class
Also: conventional, bourgeois
📝 In Action
Llevan una vida muy burguesa en las afueras de la ciudad.
B1They lead a very middle-class life in the suburbs.
No me gusta ese estilo de decoración tan burgués; prefiero algo más moderno.
B2I don't like that very conventional style of decoration; I prefer something more modern.
Sus valores burgueses siempre estaban presentes en sus decisiones.
C1His middle-class values were always present in his decisions.
middle-class person
Also: bourgeois
📝 In Action
El joven burgués decidió invertir su herencia en una nueva fábrica.
B2The young middle-class man decided to invest his inheritance in a new factory.
Muchos burgueses apoyaron el cambio de leyes en el siglo XIX.
C1Many middle-class people supported the change in laws in the 19th century.
Se comporta como un pequeño burgués preocupado solo por su estatus.
C1He behaves like a petty bourgeois concerned only with his status.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: burgués
Question 1 of 3
What is the feminine form of 'burgués'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Old French word 'borgeis,' which described someone who lived in a 'burgo' (a walled town or borough), rather than in the countryside.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'burgués' an insult?
It can be. While it's a neutral term for a social class, it's often used to criticize someone for being too materialistic, conventional, or lacking revolutionary spirit.
What is the difference between 'rico' and 'burgués'?
'Rico' simply means having a lot of money. 'Burgués' describes a specific social identity, lifestyle, and set of values associated with the middle and upper-middle class.
Why does the accent disappear in 'burguesa'?
In Spanish, the accent is only needed on 'burgués' because the stress is on the last syllable of a word ending in 's'. When you add 'a' to make it 'burguesa', the stress naturally falls on the second-to-last syllable, so the written accent is no longer required.