violento
“violento” means “violent” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
violent, aggressive
Also: hostile
📝 In Action
La película era demasiado violenta para los niños.
A2The movie was too violent for the children.
Necesitamos un cambio, esta situación es violenta e injusta.
B1We need a change; this situation is aggressive and unfair.
El guardia de seguridad tuvo que detener al hombre violento.
A2The security guard had to stop the violent man.
intense, severe
Also: drastic, sudden
📝 In Action
Tuvimos que parar el coche por el viento violento.
B1We had to stop the car because of the fierce/intense wind.
Sufrió un dolor de cabeza violento después del accidente.
B2He suffered a severe headache after the accident.
La reacción del mercado fue violenta tras el anuncio.
B2The market's reaction was drastic/intense after the announcement.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: violento
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'violento' to mean 'intense' rather than 'aggressive'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word *violentus*, which meant 'full of force' or 'vehement.' The core idea has always been about intense force or power.
First recorded: Medieval Spanish texts
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'violento' only used for people?
No. While it often describes aggressive people or actions (Meaning 1), it is also very common for describing intense natural events like storms, winds, or strong pain (Meaning 2).
What is the difference between 'violento' and 'agresivo'?
They are very similar synonyms, but 'violento' often implies the *use* of physical force or extreme intensity, while 'agresivo' generally refers to a hostile *attitude* or readiness to attack, even without physical action.