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radical

rah-dee-KAHLraðiˈkal

“radical” means “radical” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

radical, drastic

Also: fundamental
A vibrant landscape split down the middle: one side is a dry, gray desert and the other side is a lush, green rainforest.

📝 In Action

Necesitamos un cambio radical en nuestra estrategia.

B1

We need a radical change in our strategy.

Fue una decisión radical, pero necesaria.

B1

It was a drastic decision, but a necessary one.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • cambio radical – radical change
  • solución radical – radical solution

radical, root

NounmC1formal
A small green sprout growing out of a brown seed with long, visible roots spreading into the soil.

📝 In Action

En matemáticas, el signo de la raíz se llama radical.

C1

In mathematics, the root sign is called a radical.

Para conjugar el verbo, primero identifica el radical.

C1

To conjugate the verb, first identify the root.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • raíz (root)

Common Collocations

  • radical libre – free radical (chemistry)

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "radical" in Spanish:

drastic→fundamental→radical→root→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: radical

Question 1 of 1

If someone suggests a 'cambio radical', what do they mean?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
radicar(to lie in / to be rooted in) — Verb
radicalismo(radicalism) — Noun
radicalizar(to radicalize) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'radicalis', which comes from 'radix', meaning 'root'.

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: radicalFrench: radical

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'radical' used the same way in Spanish as in English?

Mostly, yes! It can mean 'drastic' or 'extreme' in both languages. However, in English, 'radical' is sometimes used as slang for 'cool' (especially in the 80s/90s), but this slang use does not exist in Spanish.

Does 'radical' change for male and female nouns?

No, it is the same for both. You say 'un hombre radical' and 'una mujer radical'.