desgraciados
/dess-gra-syah-dohss/
unfortunate
A person facing bad luck in the rain represents 'desgraciados' as unfortunate people.
desgraciados(adjective)
unfortunate
?describing people who have had bad luck
unlucky
?lacking good fortune
,miserable
?living in poor or unhappy conditions
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjectives as Nouns
In Spanish, you can turn this describing word into a name for a group of people just by adding 'the' (los) or 'some' (unos) in front.
⭐ Usage Tips
Tone Matters
When used as an adjective with 'pobres' (poor), it usually shows you feel sorry for the people you are talking about.
A sneaky character depicts 'desgraciados' in the sense of scoundrels or people with no morals.
desgraciados(noun)
scoundrels
?people who are mean or have no morals
jerks
?rude or annoying people
,wretches
?contemptible or despicable people
📝 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.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Don't always use it as an insult
Mistake: "Thinking it always means 'jerk'."
Correction: Check the context; if the person looks sad or poor, it probably means 'unfortunate'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Regional Strength
In some countries, calling someone a 'desgraciado' is a very strong insult, while in others, it is more like calling them a 'jerk' or 'troublemaker'.
✏️ 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
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.