extraño
“extraño” means “strange” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
strange
Also: weird, odd, foreign
📝 In Action
Vi algo extraño en el cielo anoche.
A2I saw something strange in the sky last night.
Es un comportamiento muy extraño para un perro.
B1It's very weird behavior for a dog.
Me siento un poco extraño hoy, como si fuera a enfermar.
B1I feel a bit strange today, as if I'm going to get sick.
I miss
📝 In Action
Extraño mucho a mi familia cuando viajo.
A2I miss my family a lot when I travel.
Yo no extraño el frío del invierno.
B1I don't miss the cold of winter.
¿Me extrañas?
A2Do you miss me?
stranger
Also: outsider
📝 In Action
Un extraño me preguntó la hora en la calle.
B1A stranger asked me for the time on the street.
Mamá siempre decía: 'No hables con extraños'.
A2Mom always used to say: 'Don't talk to strangers'.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: extraño
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence means 'I miss my city'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'extrāneus', which meant 'external' or 'foreign'. You can see how this one root gave us all three meanings: something 'strange' is foreign to our experience, a 'stranger' is a foreign person, and when you 'miss' someone, you feel their absence as something external to you.
First recorded: 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'extraño' and 'raro'?
They are very similar and often interchangeable for 'strange' or 'weird'. 'Raro' can sometimes also mean 'rare' or 'infrequent', while 'extraño' is almost always about being unusual or odd. In everyday conversation, you can use either one to say something is weird.
Why is 'extraño' the verb for 'I miss'? It seems... strange.
It's a great question! The idea comes from Latin. To miss someone is to feel that they are 'external' or 'foreign' to your current situation. They are no longer with you. So, you 'extrañas' them—you feel their externalness. It's a bit poetic!
Do I say 'Yo extraño' or just 'Extraño'?
You can say either! In Spanish, the verb ending '-o' already tells everyone that 'I' am the one doing the action. So, saying 'yo' is optional and is usually for emphasis, like 'I'm the one who misses you (not someone else).'