diferente
“diferente” means “different” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
different
Also: unlike, unusual
📝 In Action
Mi coche es diferente al tuyo.
A1My car is different from yours.
Ella tiene una perspectiva muy diferente.
A2She has a very different perspective.
Este sabor es diferente, pero me gusta.
B1This flavor is different, but I like it.
various
Also: several, sundry
📝 In Action
Hablé con diferentes personas sobre el problema.
A2I spoke with various people about the problem.
Hay diferentes maneras de resolver esto.
B1There are several ways to solve this.
La tienda vende diferentes tipos de queso.
A2The store sells different/various types of cheese.
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: diferente
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence most clearly means 'I saw several interesting cars'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word `differens`, which is the present participle of the verb `differre`. This Latin verb means 'to carry apart' or 'to be unlike', combining `dis-` ('apart') and `ferre` ('to carry').
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the real difference between `diferente a` and `diferente de`?
Honestly, in everyday use, there's no difference! Both mean 'different from/to' and are completely correct. `Diferente a` is slightly more common in conversation in many regions, but you can use whichever sounds more natural to you.
Is `distinto` the same as `diferente`?
They are very close synonyms and you can often use them in the same way. `Diferente` is a bit more common in general conversation. Think of them like 'different' and 'distinct' in English – very similar, with `distinto` sometimes adding a slightly stronger sense of being clearly separate.
Why does the meaning change when `diferente` is placed before or after the noun?
This is a cool feature of some Spanish adjectives! Placing it *after* the noun gives its most common, literal meaning ('a different car' - one that is not the same). Placing it *before* can add a more subjective or figurative meaning. For `diferentes`, putting it before 'cars' shifts the focus to the quantity and variety ('various cars').