How to Say "behavior" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “behavior” is “comportamiento” — use this for the general way someone or something acts, especially in a social context or when describing animals or systems..
comportamiento
/kom-por-tah-myen-to//kompoɾtaˈmjento/
Examples
El comportamiento del niño en la escuela fue excelente.
The child's behavior at school was excellent.
Estudiamos el comportamiento de los animales en su hábitat natural.
We study the behavior of animals in their natural habitat.
Su mal comportamiento resultó en una advertencia.
His bad conduct resulted in a warning.
Always Masculine
Since 'comportamiento' ends in '-miento,' it is always a masculine noun. You must use masculine articles and adjectives with it (e.g., 'el comportamiento,' 'un comportamiento extraño').
Gender Confusion
Mistake: “La comportamiento”
Correction: El comportamiento. Remember, nouns ending in -miento are almost always masculine, so always use 'el' or 'un'.
conducta
/kon-DÚK-ta//konˈdukta/
Examples
La conducta de los niños fue excelente durante la visita al museo.
The children's behavior was excellent during the museum visit.
Su conducta agresiva en el juego preocupó a los padres.
His aggressive behavior in the game worried the parents.
Always Feminine
Remember that 'conducta' is always a feminine noun, so you must use 'la' or 'una' before it, and any adjectives describing it must also be feminine (e.g., 'buena conducta').
Mixing up the verb
Mistake: “La conducta de la profesora fue conducir bien.”
Correction: La conducta de la profesora fue buena. (The verb 'conducir' means 'to drive' or 'to lead', not 'to behave' in this context.)
modales
moh-DAH-les/moˈðales/
Examples
Tu hijo tiene muy buenos modales en la mesa.
Your son has very good manners at the table.
Perdió el trabajo por sus malos modales con el cliente.
He lost the job because of his bad manners with the client.
En esta cultura, los modales son muy importantes.
In this culture, etiquette is very important.
Always Plural
The word 'modales' is almost always used in its plural form, even though it refers to a single concept (the idea of manners). You must use 'los modales' and plural adjectives ('buenos modales').
Using the Singular Form
Mistake: “Using *el modal* when you mean 'manners'.”
Correction: Always use the plural: *los modales*. *El modal* is a technical term meaning 'mode' or 'modal verb' and has a completely different meaning.
proceder
/pro-seh-DEHR//pɾo.seˈðeɾ/
Examples
Su proceder fue ejemplar durante toda la crisis.
His behavior was exemplary throughout the entire crisis.
Verbs as Nouns
In Spanish, the base form of a verb can sometimes be used as a noun. In this case, 'el proceder' refers to the concept of 'the acting' or 'the way of acting'.
Comportamiento vs. Conducta
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.