Inklingo
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sucio

/SOO-thee-oh (Spain) / SOO-see-oh (Latin America)/

dirty

A close-up of a sturdy hiking boot thoroughly covered in thick brown mud and dirt, illustrating physical uncleanliness.

This image of a muddy boot illustrates 'sucio' meaning physically dirty or unclean.

sucio(Adjective)

mA1

dirty

?

physically unclean

,

filthy

?

very dirty

Also:

soiled

?

stained

📝 In Action

Mis zapatos están muy sucios después de caminar en el parque.

A1

My shoes are very dirty after walking in the park.

Necesitas cambiarte; toda tu ropa está sucia.

A1

You need to change; all your clothes are dirty.

El suelo de la cocina estaba sucio con migas y grasa.

A2

The kitchen floor was dirty with crumbs and grease.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • cochino (pig/dirty)
  • mugriento (grimy)

Antonyms

  • limpio (clean)
  • pulcro (neat/spotless)

Common Collocations

  • ropa sucia – dirty laundry
  • manos sucias – dirty hands

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective Agreement

Since 'sucio' describes nouns, its ending must match the noun. Use 'sucio' (masculine singular), 'sucia' (feminine singular), 'sucios' (masculine plural), or 'sucias' (feminine plural).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting Gender Agreement

Mistake: "La camisa es sucio."

Correction: La camisa es sucia. (Always match the adjective to the noun's gender, 'camisa' is feminine.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Using 'Estar' vs. 'Ser'

We almost always use 'estar' (like 'está sucio') with 'sucio' because being dirty is a temporary state, not a permanent characteristic of the object.

A cartoon character's hand secretly sliding a single playing card from under a table while looking around nervously, symbolizing deceit or dishonesty.

This visual of cheating illustrates 'sucio' meaning morally wrong or dishonest.

sucio(Adjective)

mB1

dirty

?

morally wrong or dishonest

,

indecent

?

vulgar or inappropriate

Also:

unfair

?

dishonest actions

,

nasty

?

mean spirited comment

📝 In Action

Ganó el partido con un juego sucio y muchas trampas.

B1

He won the match with dirty play and lots of cheating.

Ese dinero sucio proviene de actividades ilegales.

B2

That dirty money comes from illegal activities.

No hagas comentarios sucios delante de los niños.

B1

Don't make indecent comments in front of the children.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • deshonesto (dishonest)
  • inmoral (immoral)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • juego sucio – foul play / dirty trick
  • dinero sucio – dirty money / ill-gotten gains

⭐ Usage Tips

Context is Key

When 'sucio' is used figuratively, it often modifies abstract nouns like 'juego' (game), 'negocio' (business), or 'comentario' (comment), indicating moral corruption or unfairness.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: sucio

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'sucio' in its figurative (non-literal) sense?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

suciedad(dirtiness/filth) - noun
ensuciar(to dirty/to soil) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make 'sucio' plural?

Since 'sucio' is an adjective, you just add an -s to make it plural: 'sucios' (for masculine plural nouns) or 'sucias' (for feminine plural nouns). Example: 'Los calcetines sucios' (The dirty socks).

What is the verb related to 'sucio'?

The most common related verb is 'ensuciar,' which means 'to dirty' or 'to soil.' Example: 'El niño ensució la pared' (The child dirtied the wall).