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vulgar

bool-GARbulˈɣaɾ

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

vulgar, crude

Also: tasteless, obscene
Adjectivem/fB2
A single, brightly colored, oversized pink plastic flamingo decoration standing in a patch of simple green grass, symbolizing tastelessness.

📝 In Action

El presentador hizo un comentario muy vulgar y tuvo que disculparse.

B2

The host made a very vulgar comment and had to apologize.

No me gustó la decoración; la encontré un poco vulgar.

C1

I didn't like the decor; I found it a bit tasteless.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • lenguaje vulgar – vulgar language
  • chiste vulgar – crude joke

common, popular

Also: vernacular
Adjectivem/fC1 formal
A single, plain, standard yellow number two pencil lying horizontally on a neutral background, representing something common or ordinary.

📝 In Action

El latín vulgar evolucionó para formar las lenguas romances.

C1

Vulgar Latin evolved to form the Romance languages.

Es un error de dominio vulgar que mucha gente acepta como verdad.

C2

It is a common error that many people accept as truth.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • erudito (scholarly)
  • selecto (select)

Common Collocations

  • latín vulgar – Vulgar Latin
  • dominio vulgar – common knowledge/public domain

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: vulgar

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'vulgar' in the sense of 'common or ordinary'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
vulgaridad(vulgarity) — Noun
vulgarizar(to vulgarize/popularize) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes directly from the Latin *vulgaris*, meaning 'of or belonging to the common people' (*vulgus*). This is why it has two related but different meanings: the original meaning of 'common' and the later meaning of 'crude' (because the speech and manners of the common people were often considered unrefined by the elite).

First recorded: Medieval Spanish

Cognates (Related words)

English: vulgarFrench: vulgaireItalian: volgare

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'vulgar' always mean something offensive in Spanish?

No, while the most common modern meaning is 'offensive' or 'crude,' it can also be used formally or historically to simply mean 'common' or 'of the general populace.' Context is key!

Is 'vulgar' used often in Spain versus Latin America?

'Vulgar' is widely understood throughout the Spanish-speaking world with the primary meaning of 'crude' or 'tasteless.' However, regional words like 'ordinario' or 'chabacano' might be used more frequently in daily conversation.