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cobardes

koh-BAR-deskoˈβarðes

“cobardes” means “cowardly” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

cowardly

Also: spineless, faint-hearted
Three small, cartoonish figures huddled together, trembling and hiding behind a tiny bright green bush while a harmless butterfly flutters nearby, illustrating a cowardly act.

📝 In Action

Las decisiones que tomaron fueron muy cobardes.

B1

The decisions they made were very cowardly.

Ellos son cobardes y no enfrentarán el problema.

A2

They are cowardly and won't face the problem.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • miedosos (fearful)
  • pusilánimes (pusillanimous (lacking courage))

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • actos cobardes – cowardly acts

cowards

Also: chicken-hearts
Nounm/fB1
An illustration depicting five individuals standing frozen and anxious, refusing to walk across a small, easily manageable wooden plank over a tiny, shallow ditch, representing a group of cowards.

📝 In Action

Los cobardes se escondieron en lugar de ayudar.

B1

The cowards hid instead of helping.

¡No seáis cobardes! Enfrentad la situación.

B2

Don't be cowards! Face the situation.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • héroes (heroes)

Common Collocations

  • un grupo de cobardes – a group of cowards

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "cobardes" in Spanish:

chicken-hearts→cowards→spineless→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cobardes

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'cobardes' as a noun (referring to people)?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
cobarde(coward (singular)) — Noun / Adjective
cobardía(cowardice) — Noun
cobardear(to act cowardly) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
tardesguardes
📚 Etymology▼

The word *cobarde* comes from Old French or Provençal, likely related to the word for 'tail' (*coa* or *coda*). The original meaning referred to someone who 'turns tail' or 'hides their tail between their legs' in fear, suggesting a lack of bravery.

First recorded: Medieval period (around 13th century in related Romance languages)

Cognates (Related words)

French: couardItalian: codardo

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'cobardes' change based on gender?

No. *Cobardes* is a gender-neutral plural word. You use it for both masculine plural nouns (los hombres cobardes) and feminine plural nouns (las mujeres cobardes). The singular form is 'cobarde' for both genders as well.