A cat with an arched back and a dog growling at each other, showing clear opposition and dislike.

hostil

ohs-TEEL

adjectivem/fB2

hostile?showing strong dislike or opposition

Also:unfriendly?referring to a person's attitude,harsh?referring to a difficult environment or climate

📝 In Action

El desierto es un entorno muy hostil para la vida.

The desert is a very harsh environment for life.

Su actitud fue bastante hostil durante la reunión.

His attitude was quite hostile during the meeting.

No entiendo por qué eres tan hostil con nosotros.

I don't understand why you are so unfriendly toward us.

Word Connections

Synonyms

enemigo (enemy/unfriendly)
adverso (adverse/harmful)
antipático (unpleasant/mean)

Antonyms

amistoso (friendly)
acogedor (welcoming)
amigable (amiable/kind)

Common Collocations

clima hostil – harsh climate
actitud hostil – hostile attitude
territorio hostil – hostile territory

💡 Grammar Points

Gender-Neutral Ending

This word ends in 'l', which means it doesn't change based on gender. You can use 'hostil' for both masculine and feminine things (e.g., 'un hombre hostil' or 'una mujer hostil').

❌ Common Pitfalls

The Silent H

Mistake: "Pronouncing the 'h' like in the English word 'hostile'."

Correction: In Spanish, the 'h' is always silent. Start the sound directly with the 'o' (ohs-TEEL).

⭐ Usage Tips

Beyond People

In Spanish, you can use 'hostil' to describe both a mean person and a place where it's hard to survive, like a frozen mountain or a dry desert.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: hostil

Question 1 of 1

Which of the following is the most natural way to use 'hostil'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

hostilidad(hostility) - noun

hostilizar(to harass or treat with hostility) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'hostil' change to 'hostila' for feminine nouns?

No. Adjectives ending in 'l' in Spanish stay the same for both masculine and feminine nouns. For example: 'el clima hostil' and 'la respuesta hostil'.

Is 'hostil' a very common word for daily conversation?

It is somewhat formal. In a casual conversation, you might just say someone is 'malo' (mean) or 'antipático' (unfriendly), but 'hostil' is very common in movies, books, and news.