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cursi

KOOR-see/ˈkuɾ.si/

“cursi” means “cheesy” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

cheesy, corny

Also: tacky, kitsch
Adjectivem or fB1informal
General
A large, fluffy pink plush heart decorated with white lace and shiny glitter.

📝 In Action

No seas tan cursi, no me digas esas cosas delante de la gente.

A2

Don't be so cheesy, don't say those things to me in front of people.

La decoración de la fiesta era un poco cursi con tantos corazones rosas.

B1

The party decorations were a bit tacky with so many pink hearts.

Me parece cursi escribir poemas de amor en servilletas.

B2

I think it's corny to write love poems on napkins.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • meloso (sappy/syrupy)
  • ridículo (ridiculous)
  • cursilón (very cheesy)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • un poco cursi – a bit cheesy
  • demasiado cursi – too corny
  • sonar cursi – to sound cheesy

Idioms & Expressions

  • caer en lo cursi – To end up being tacky or corny without intending to.

a corny person, a poser

Nounm or fB2informal
A person wearing a bright pink suit holding a giant bouquet of red roses and a heart-shaped box of chocolates.

📝 In Action

Aquel grupo de cursis no paraba de hablar de sus viajes de lujo.

B2

That group of posers wouldn't stop talking about their luxury trips.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • cursilón (sappy person)

Common Collocations

  • un cursi de cuidado – a real corny person/someone very tacky

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "cursi" in Spanish:

a poser→cheesy→corny→kitsch→tacky→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cursi

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is the correct way to say 'She is cheesy'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
cursilería(a cheesy act or thing) — Noun
acursilado(having tacky characteristics) — Adjective
cursilón(very cheesy (augmentative)) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
asírubífrenesí
📚 Etymology▼

Likely originated in 19th-century Cádiz. A popular legend says it comes from the 'Sicur' sisters, who tried too hard to be elegant; 'Sicur' was playfully inverted to 'Cursi' by the local community to mock them.

First recorded: Mid-19th century

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'cursi' an insult?

It can be. It's usually a mild criticism of someone's taste or romantic style, but among friends, it's often used playfully to tease someone for being too sappy.

Does it change to 'cursis' for plurals?

Yes! Like most words ending in 'i', you just add an 's' for more than one person or thing: 'Ellos son cursis'.

How is it different from 'meloso'?

'Meloso' specifically refers to being overly affectionate or 'sweet' like honey. 'Cursi' is broader—it includes sappy romance but also tacky fashion and pretentious behavior.