serio
“serio” means “serious” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
serious
Also: solemn, earnest
📝 In Action
Mi profesor de historia es muy serio, casi nunca se ríe.
A2My history teacher is very serious, he almost never laughs.
Ponte serio, estamos hablando de algo importante.
B1Get serious, we're talking about something important.
Aunque parece serio, en realidad es muy amable.
B1Although he seems serious, he's actually very kind.
serious
Also: severe, major, reliable
📝 In Action
La falta de agua es un problema serio en esta región.
B1The lack of water is a serious problem in this region.
Cometió un error serio en el informe.
B1He made a serious mistake in the report.
Necesitamos encontrar una empresa seria para este trabajo.
B2We need to find a reliable company for this job.
Tiene una herida seria, pero se recuperará.
B2He has a serious injury, but he will recover.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: serio
Question 1 of 1
You see your friend looking worried and not laughing at your jokes. How would you ask, 'Why are you so serious (right now)?'
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📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'sērius', which meant 'grave, earnest, or serious.' It has kept a very similar meaning as it evolved into Spanish.
First recorded: Around the 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'serio' and 'grave'?
'Serio' is the general word for 'serious.' 'Grave' is a bit stronger and is often used for very important or severe situations, like a 'problema grave' (a grave problem) or an 'enfermedad grave' (a severe illness). Think of 'grave' as 'serious' with an extra dose of worry.
Can I say 'seriosamente' for 'seriously'?
While 'seriamente' is the correct adverb for 'seriously' (e.g., 'Lo digo seriamente' - 'I'm saying it seriously'), the phrase 'en serio' is much more common in everyday conversation. To say 'Take this seriously,' you'd say 'Toma esto en serio.'