Inklingo
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feo

/FAY-oh/

ugly

A grumpy, warty, green toad sitting alone on a large green lily pad in a pond.

Feo means ugly when describing something physically unattractive.

feo(Adjective)

mA1

ugly

?

physically unattractive

Also:

unattractive

?

appearance

📝 In Action

Ese perro es muy feo, pero tiene un corazón de oro.

A1

That dog is very ugly, but it has a heart of gold.

La casa nueva es moderna, pero la fachada es un poco fea.

A2

The new house is modern, but the facade is a little ugly.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • ser feo como un susto – to be ugly as sin (literally: ugly as a fright)

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Agreement

Since 'feo' is an adjective, its ending must change to match the gender and number of the noun it describes: 'el chico feo' (masculine singular), 'la mesa fea' (feminine singular), 'los zapatos feos' (masculine plural).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using Estar vs. Ser

Mistake: "El coche está feo."

Correction: El coche es feo. Use 'ser' (to be) when describing a permanent or essential characteristic like appearance.

⭐ Usage Tips

Being Gentle

To soften the description, use intensifiers like 'un poco' (a little) or 'algo' (somewhat): 'Es algo feo' (It's somewhat ugly).

A child sitting on the ground looking sad next to a large puddle of spilled, melted ice cream, illustrating a bad situation.

When describing a situation or action, feo translates to bad.

feo(Adjective)

mB1

bad

?

situation, action, or disposition

,

nasty

?

behavior or weather

Also:

unpleasant

?

event or situation

📝 In Action

Tuvimos un momento feo cuando se rompió la máquina.

B1

We had a bad/unpleasant moment when the machine broke.

El jefe nos puso en un aprieto feo.

B2

The boss put us in a nasty situation.

Hizo un tiempo muy feo toda la semana.

B1

The weather was very nasty/bad all week.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • un asunto feo – a nasty business
  • mal rollo – bad vibes (informal)

Idioms & Expressions

  • Hacer un feo a alguien – To snub or slight someone; to give someone the cold shoulder.

💡 Grammar Points

Describing Situations

When 'feo' is applied to abstract concepts like 'momento' (moment) or 'asunto' (matter), it takes on the meaning of unpleasant, difficult, or morally wrong.

⭐ Usage Tips

Use with 'Tiempo'

When talking about weather, 'hace feo' or 'tiempo feo' means 'bad weather' (stormy, rainy, overcast), not just visually ugly.

An old, handmade doll with mismatched button eyes, ragged clothes, and visible patches, sitting alone on a wooden surface.

Feo can also be used as a noun, meaning 'the ugly one' when referring to a person or thing.

feo(Noun)

mB2

the ugly one

?

person or thing

📝 In Action

En las películas siempre hay un bueno, un malo y el feo.

B2

In the movies there is always a good guy, a bad guy, and the ugly one.

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective as Noun

Just like in English ('the rich,' 'the brave'), you can turn 'feo' into a noun by putting a definite article ('el' or 'la') in front of it to refer to a person or thing that possesses that quality.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: feo

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'feo' to describe a situation rather than a physical appearance?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

fea(ugly (f)) - adjective
fealdad(ugliness) - noun
afeitar(to shave (related to disfiguring/making foul)) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'feo' considered rude to use?

While 'feo' is a strong word meaning 'ugly,' its directness can sometimes be seen as harsh, especially when describing people. It is generally safer to use 'no muy bonito' (not very pretty) or 'poco atractivo' (unattractive) if you want to be more polite, though 'feo' is perfectly normal for objects, weather, or situations.