Inklingo

How to Say "arrogant" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “arrogant” is “arrogante” — use 'arrogante' for a direct and general description of someone who behaves in an overly proud, superior, or contemptuous way.

arrogante🔊B1

Use 'arrogante' for a direct and general description of someone who behaves in an overly proud, superior, or contemptuous way.

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creídoB1

Choose 'creído' when describing someone who is conceited and thinks too highly of themselves, often in a way that's annoying to others.

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orgulloso🔊B1

Use 'orgulloso' when someone's arrogance stems from an excessive sense of pride, making them unwilling to admit fault or ask for help.

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soberbio🔊B1

Employ 'soberbio' to describe someone's haughty or overbearing attitude, especially when they act superior and dismissive of others.

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vano🔊B2

Select 'vano' when the arrogance is linked to excessive vanity and a focus on one's own appearance or achievements, often implying superficiality.

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English → Spanish

arrogante

ah-rroh-GAHN-teha.roˈɣan.te

AdjectiveB1General
Use 'arrogante' for a direct and general description of someone who behaves in an overly proud, superior, or contemptuous way.
A cartoon illustration of a man with a superior expression, chin lifted high, standing with his chest puffed out, and arms crossed, demonstrating arrogance.

Examples

Su tono de voz era muy arrogante y desagradable.

His tone of voice was very arrogant and unpleasant.

Ella es una persona inteligente, pero a veces parece arrogante.

She is an intelligent person, but sometimes she seems arrogant.

No seas tan arrogante; nadie quiere trabajar contigo.

Don't be so arrogant; nobody wants to work with you.

Adjective Form Stays the Same

Since 'arrogante' ends in '-e', it is the same form whether you are describing a masculine person (el hombre arrogante) or a feminine person (la mujer arrogante). The only change is when you make it plural (arrogantes).

Using it as a Noun

You can turn the adjective into a noun (meaning 'an arrogant person') simply by putting the article 'el' or 'la' in front of it: 'Vi a un arrogante en la calle' (I saw an arrogant guy on the street).

Gender Change Error

Mistake: “Using 'arroganto' for a man or 'arroganta' for a woman.”

Correction: The correct form is always 'arrogante' for both genders. It does not follow the typical '-o' for masculine, '-a' for feminine pattern.

creído

AdjectiveB1Informal/General
Choose 'creído' when describing someone who is conceited and thinks too highly of themselves, often in a way that's annoying to others.

Examples

No me gusta trabajar con él, es un poco creído.

I don't like working with him, he's a bit conceited.

orgulloso

or-goo-YOH-sohoɾ.ɣuˈʎo.so

AdjectiveB1General
Use 'orgulloso' when someone's arrogance stems from an excessive sense of pride, making them unwilling to admit fault or ask for help.
A character standing on a small platform with an arrogant, conceited expression, looking down dismissively at others.

Examples

Es demasiado orgulloso para admitir que se equivocó.

He is too proud/haughty to admit he was wrong.

Nadie quería trabajar con él porque tenía una actitud muy orgullosa.

No one wanted to work with him because he had a very conceited attitude.

No seas tan orgulloso; a veces necesitas ayuda.

Don't be so arrogant; sometimes you need help.

Estar vs. Ser for Pride

When 'orgulloso' means arrogant or conceited (a personality trait), you usually use the verb 'ser'. Example: 'Él es orgulloso' (He is an arrogant person).

Negative Meaning Markers

Look for words like 'demasiado' (too much) or when the word is used to describe a bad 'actitud' (attitude) to signal the negative sense.

soberbio

so-BEHR-byohsoˈβeɾβjo

AdjectiveB1General/Slightly Formal
Employ 'soberbio' to describe someone's haughty or overbearing attitude, especially when they act superior and dismissive of others.
A man standing with his nose in the air and arms crossed, looking down at others with a haughty expression.

Examples

No seas tan soberbio y pide ayuda si la necesitas.

Don't be so arrogant/haughty and ask for help if you need it.

Su actitud soberbia le impide reconocer sus propios errores.

His haughty attitude prevents him from recognizing his own mistakes.

Era un hombre rico y soberbio que despreciaba a los demás.

He was a rich and arrogant man who looked down on others.

Using with Ser vs Estar

Use 'ser' when describing someone's permanent personality, but use 'estar' if someone is just acting arrogant in a specific moment.

The False Friend Trap

Mistake: “Using 'soberbio' only as a compliment.”

Correction: In English, 'superb' is always good. In Spanish, 'soberbio' usually means 'arrogant' when describing a person.

vano

VAH-nohˈba.no

AdjectiveB2General
Select 'vano' when the arrogance is linked to excessive vanity and a focus on one's own appearance or achievements, often implying superficiality.
A proud, flamboyant peacock sitting high on a pedestal, looking down condescendingly at several tiny, admiring field mice below, depicting vanity.

Examples

Ella es muy vana; solo se mira en el espejo.

She is very vain; she only looks at herself in the mirror.

Sus palabras eran vanas y superficiales.

His words were empty (vain) and superficial.

Distinguishing 'Arrogante' from 'Creído' and 'Orgulloso'

Learners often confuse 'arrogante', 'creído', and 'orgulloso'. While 'arrogante' is a general term, 'creído' specifically implies conceit and thinking too highly of oneself, whereas 'orgulloso' points to arrogance stemming from excessive pride. Consider if the person is generally overbearing ('arrogante'), self-important ('creído'), or too proud to back down ('orgulloso').

Related Translations

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