intruso
/een-TROO-so/
intruder
An 'intruso' is someone who enters a place without being invited, like an intruder.
intruso(noun)
intruder
?someone entering a place without permission
interloper
?someone in a social situation where they aren't welcome
,meddler
?someone who gets involved in others' business
📝 In Action
Las cámaras de seguridad detectaron a un intruso en el jardín.
B1The security cameras detected an intruder in the garden.
No quiero parecer un intruso, pero me gustaría ayudar en la reunión.
B2I don't want to seem like an interloper, but I'd like to help in the meeting.
💡 Grammar Points
Matching Gender
Use 'intruso' for a male and 'intrusa' for a female. If you are talking about a group of both men and women, use 'intrusos'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'intruso' for software
Mistake: "Using 'intruso' to mean computer spyware."
Correction: While an intruder might use spyware, the software itself is usually called 'programa espía' or 'malware'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Social Context
You can use this word playfully. If a friend shows up to a family dinner unannounced, you might jokingly call them an 'intruso'.
Something is 'intruso' when it appears where it is not wanted, such as a weed in a garden.
intruso(adjective)
intrusive
?something that enters or appears where it is not wanted
invasive
?referring to plants or animals that take over an area
📝 In Action
Tuve un pensamiento intruso muy extraño esta mañana.
C1I had a very strange intrusive thought this morning.
Esa planta es una especie intrusa que está matando a las flores locales.
B2That plant is an invasive species that is killing the local flowers.
💡 Grammar Points
Describing Objects
Like most describing words in Spanish, this must match the object it describes. A 'pensamiento' (thought) is 'intruso', but a 'planta' (plant) is 'intrusa'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Intruso vs. Intrusivo
In many cases, 'intruso' and 'intrusivo' can be used interchangeably when describing something that pushes its way in, though 'intrusivo' is becoming more common for psychological terms.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: intruso
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'intruso' to describe someone who wasn't invited to a party?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'intruso' always mean a criminal?
Not necessarily! While it can mean a burglar or trespasser, it is very often used for someone who joins a conversation they weren't part of, or even for an unwanted thought or a plant that shouldn't be in a certain garden.
What is the difference between 'intruso' and 'invasor'?
An 'intruso' is someone who enters quietly or where they aren't invited (like a wedding crasher). An 'invasor' (invader) usually implies a more aggressive, forceful entry, like an army or a virus.