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How to Say "attractive" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “attractive” is “atractivo” — use 'atractivo' for general physical or overall appeal, suitable for describing people, places, or things..

English → Spanish

atractivo

/ah-trahk-TEE-voh//a.tɾakˈti.βo/

adjectiveA1general
Use 'atractivo' for general physical or overall appeal, suitable for describing people, places, or things.
A single, perfectly formed red rose with green leaves, centered against a simple, soft background, illustrating physical appeal.

Examples

El nuevo actor es muy atractivo y talentoso.

The new actor is very attractive and talented.

La oferta de trabajo parecía atractiva, pero el salario era bajo.

The job offer seemed appealing, but the salary was low.

Necesitamos un diseño más atractivo para la portada del libro.

We need a more appealing design for the book cover.

Gender and Number Agreement

As an adjective, 'atractivo' must change its ending to match the thing it describes. Use '-a' for feminine nouns (una mujer atractiva), '-os' for masculine plural (hombres atractivos), and '-as' for feminine plural (ideas atractivas).

Forgetting Agreement

Mistake: “Los cuadros es atractivo.”

Correction: Los cuadros son atractivos. (Since 'cuadros' is masculine and plural, the adjective must be too.)

rico

REE-koh/ˈriko/

adjectiveC1informal
Use 'rico' specifically for people when you mean 'hot' or extremely physically appealing in an informal way.
A friendly, confident young adult character standing upright and smiling brightly while wearing a simple, stylish blue shirt.

Examples

Esa actriz está muy rica. Todos la admiran.

That actress is very attractive/hot. Everyone admires her.

No puedo concentrarme, mi compañero de trabajo está súper rico.

I can't concentrate, my coworker is super hot.

Don't use 'rico' for general appeal

The most common mistake is using 'rico' outside of informal contexts for people. 'Rico' implies a strong, often sexual, physical attractiveness that is not suitable for describing objects or general appeal like 'atractivo' can.

Related Translations

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