civilizado
“civilizado” means “civilized” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
civilized
Also: advanced
📝 In Action
Vivimos en un mundo civilizado con reglas claras.
A2We live in a civilized world with clear rules.
Es el derecho de cualquier sociedad civilizada.
B1It is the right of any civilized society.
Incluso en las regiones más civilizadas existen conflictos.
B2Even in the most civilized regions, conflicts exist.
polite
Also: well-mannered, reasonable
📝 In Action
Por favor, tened una charla civilizada.
B1Please, have a civilized/polite chat.
Se comportó como un hombre civilizado a pesar del enfado.
B1He behaved like a civilized man despite the anger.
Es difícil ser civilizado cuando alguien es tan grosero.
B2It is hard to be polite when someone is so rude.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: civilizado
Question 1 of 3
Which of these is the feminine plural form of 'civilizado'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'civilis', meaning 'relating to a citizen'. It eventually evolved into the verb 'civilizar' and its past form 'civilizado'.
First recorded: 17th century (in its modern sense)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'civilizado' a verb or an adjective?
It can be both! It is the 'past participle' of the verb 'civilizar' (meaning it's the 'finished' form), but it is most commonly used as an adjective to describe people or places.
Can I use 'civilizado' to describe a pet?
Yes, but it's usually figurative. You might say it about a dog that is exceptionally well-behaved at a restaurant.
What's the difference between 'educado' and 'civilizado'?
'Educado' is the standard word for 'polite' or 'having good manners.' 'Civilizado' is stronger; it implies acting like a mature, reasonable member of a society rather than an animal or a barbarian.