desgraciados
“desgraciados” means “unfortunate” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
unfortunate
Also: unlucky, miserable
📝 In Action
Los pobres desgraciados perdieron su casa en la tormenta.
B1The poor unfortunate souls lost their house in the storm.
Son unos hombres desgraciados que no tienen dónde vivir.
B1They are unlucky men who have nowhere to live.
scoundrels
Also: jerks, wretches
📝 In Action
¡Esos desgraciados me robaron la cartera!
B2Those scoundrels stole my wallet!
No quiero volver a ver a esos desgraciados por aquí.
B2I don't want to see those jerks around here again.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: desgraciados
Question 1 of 2
If you hear someone scream '¡Esos desgraciados!' after their car window is broken, what do they mean?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Spanish prefix 'des-' (meaning 'without' or 'un-') and 'gracia' (grace, favor, or luck). It literally describes someone who has fallen out of favor or luck.
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'desgraciados' a very bad swear word?
Not exactly a 'curse' word, but it is a strong insult. It's safe to hear in movies (PG-13 level), but you should be careful using it because it can be quite offensive depending on your tone.
How do I say 'unfortunate woman' if I can't use 'desgraciados'?
Since 'desgraciados' is for a group of men or a mixed group, you would use 'desgraciada' for one woman or 'desgraciadas' for a group of women.