cruel
kroo-EL
📝 In Action
El dictador era conocido por sus métodos crueles.
B1The dictator was known for his cruel methods.
La vida a veces puede ser muy cruel e injusta.
B2Life can sometimes be very harsh and unfair.
Fue un comentario cruel que hirió sus sentimientos.
B1It was a cruel comment that hurt her feelings.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender is Invariable
Unlike many Spanish adjectives, 'cruel' is the same for both masculine and feminine nouns. You say 'el hombre cruel' (the cruel man) and 'la mujer cruel' (the cruel woman).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Plural
Mistake: "Los jefes cruel."
Correction: The correct plural is 'crueles': Los jefes crueles. Adjectives ending in a consonant add '-es' to become plural.
⭐ Usage Tips
Describing Circumstances
While it describes people, 'cruel' is also frequently used to describe difficult or unforgiving situations, like 'una enfermedad cruel' (a cruel illness).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: cruel
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the adjective 'cruel'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'cruel' ever change its form?
Yes, but only for number, not gender. It is singular ('cruel') for one thing, and plural ('crueles') for two or more things. It never changes to 'cruela' or 'cruelo'.