fea
“fea” means “ugly” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
ugly, unattractive
Also: nasty, bad
📝 In Action
La pintura que compró es realmente fea.
A1The painting she bought is really ugly.
Tuvimos una experiencia muy fea en el viaje.
B1We had a very nasty/bad experience on the trip.
¡Qué fea está la tormenta!
A2What a bad storm!
ugly woman, ugly girl
📝 In Action
La fea del grupo siempre se sienta sola.
B1The ugly one of the group always sits alone.
No seas una fea; ayúdame con esto.
B2Don't be a nasty person; help me with this. (Figurative use, meaning 'don't be mean')
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: fea
Question 1 of 2
Which noun can 'fea' correctly describe?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word *foedus*, which meant 'foul, disgusting, or stained.' This sense of something being morally or physically repulsive evolved into the modern Spanish 'feo/fea' meaning 'ugly.'
First recorded: Medieval Spanish (evolved from earlier forms like *fedo*).
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make 'fea' plural?
To describe multiple feminine things, you add '-s' to get 'feas.' For example, 'Las casas son feas' (The houses are ugly).
Is 'fea' always used to describe physical appearance?
No. It is often used to describe things that are unpleasant or bad, such as 'una fea situación' (an unpleasant situation) or 'una fea actitud' (a nasty attitude).