Inklingo
← Dictionary

humilde

/oo-MEEL-deh/

humble

A child carefully sharing a small piece of cake with an elderly woman, looking down slightly with modesty.

Humilde describes a personality trait of being humble and modest.

humilde(Adjective)

m/fA2

humble

?

personality, character

,

modest

?

not boastful

Also:

unassuming

?

behavior

📝 In Action

A pesar de su fama, el actor es muy humilde con sus fans.

A2

Despite his fame, the actor is very humble with his fans.

Ella siempre tiene una actitud humilde y escucha a los demás.

B1

She always has a modest attitude and listens to others.

Necesitas ser más humilde y reconocer tus errores.

B1

You need to be more humble and recognize your mistakes.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • modesto (modest)
  • sencillo (simple, down-to-earth)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • ser humilde – to be humble
  • actitud humilde – humble attitude

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective Agreement (The -e ending)

Since 'humilde' ends in an -e, it is used for both masculine and feminine people or things. You only need to change the ending when making it plural: 'humildes'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing 'humilde' and 'orgulloso'

Mistake: "Using 'orgulloso' (proud) when you mean 'humilde' (humble). Remember, 'orgulloso' can sometimes mean overly arrogant."

Correction: Use 'humilde' for someone who is modest and doesn't boast.

⭐ Usage Tips

A High Compliment

Calling someone 'humilde' is usually a very high compliment in Spanish-speaking cultures, often implying great inner strength or moral character.

A small, unpainted wooden cottage with a single window and a simple stone path leading to the door, surrounded by green grass.

When describing objects or places, humilde means simple or unpretentious, lacking luxury.

humilde(Adjective)

m/fB1

simple

?

not luxurious, unpretentious

,

lowly

?

social status

Also:

poor

?

economic means (less common than 'pobre')

📝 In Action

A pesar de su origen humilde, llegó a ser presidente.

B1

Despite his humble origin, he became president.

Viven en una casa humilde, pero es muy acogedora.

B2

They live in a simple/modest house, but it is very cozy.

Pidió un trabajo humilde para empezar a ganar dinero.

C1

He asked for a lowly job to start earning money.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • lujoso (luxurious)
  • rico (rich)

Common Collocations

  • origen humilde – humble origin
  • casa humilde – simple house

💡 Grammar Points

Describing Things

When describing things like houses or backgrounds, 'humilde' means 'simple' or 'not fancy' rather than lacking self-confidence.

An elderly woman in plain clothes quietly tending to a small patch of colorful flowers in a simple backyard.

Humilde can be used as a noun to refer to a humble individual.

humilde(Noun)

m/fC1

the humble person

?

individual

,

the poor

?

group of people (plural: los humildes)

📝 In Action

El gobierno prometió ayudar a los más humildes de la sociedad.

C1

The government promised to help the most humble/poor people in society.

Es un honor recibir a un humilde como tú.

C1

It is an honor to receive a humble person like you.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • el pobre (the poor person)
  • el desfavorecido (the disadvantaged)

Antonyms

  • el rico (the rich person)

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective as Noun

Like many adjectives in Spanish, 'humilde' can become a noun (a person or thing) simply by putting an article (like 'el' or 'la') in front of it.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: humilde

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'humilde' to describe a person's character, not their economic status?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

humildad(humility (noun)) - noun
humildemente(humbly (adverb)) - adverb

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'humilde' a positive word?

Yes, almost always. When applied to a person, it is highly positive, meaning they are modest, respectful, and not arrogant. When applied to an object or place, it means simple, unpretentious, or lacking luxury.

How do I make 'humilde' plural?

Since 'humilde' ends in a vowel followed by 'de', you just add '-s' to make it plural: 'humildes' (e.g., 'los niños humildes').