How to Say "brief" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “brief” is “breve” — use 'breve' when referring to something that is short in duration or length, like a pause or a conversation.
breve
breh-vehˈbɾeβe
Examples
Hagamos una pausa breve antes de continuar.
Let's take a brief pause before continuing.
Su discurso fue muy breve y directo.
His speech was very short and direct.
En breve, te explico el plan.
In short, I'll explain the plan to you. (Common phrase: 'en breve')
Agreement Rule
Unlike many adjectives, 'breve' doesn't change between masculine and feminine nouns (e.g., 'un momento breve' and 'una carta breve'). It only changes for plural: 'breves'.
Confusing Time vs. Physical Length
Mistake: “Usar 'breve' para describir la longitud física de un objeto (e.g., *La mesa es breve*).”
Correction: Use 'corto' for physical length (e.g., 'La mesa es corta') and reserve 'breve' mostly for time or abstract length (like a speech or summary).
corto
KOR-tohˈkoɾto
Examples
Mi pelo es más corto que el tuyo.
My hair is shorter than yours.
La reunión fue muy corta, solo duró diez minutos.
The meeting was very brief; it only lasted ten minutes.
Necesito un cable más corto para conectar la televisión.
I need a shorter cable to connect the television.
Adjective Agreement
Remember that 'corto' must match the thing it describes in both gender (o/a) and number (singular/plural). Examples: 'el libro corto' (masculine singular), 'las faldas cortas' (feminine plural).
Confusing Length and Size
Mistake: “Usando 'corto' para decir 'small' (e.g., 'el carro corto').”
Correction: Use 'pequeño' (small) for general size. Use 'corto' only for measurement of length or time.
reporte
reh-POR-tehreˈpoɾte
Examples
El noticiero dio un reporte especial sobre la tormenta de anoche.
The news broadcast gave a special report about last night's storm.
Necesito entregar el reporte de gastos antes del viernes.
I need to turn in the expense report before Friday.
Si ves algo sospechoso, haz un reporte a la policía inmediatamente.
If you see anything suspicious, make a report to the police immediately.
Gender Rule
Even though 'reporte' ends in '-e', it is always a masculine word, so you must use 'el reporte' or 'un reporte'.
Confusing Noun and Verb
Mistake: “Usando 'Yo reporte' para decir 'I report' (using the noun instead of the verb).”
Correction: Use the verb form: 'Yo reporto' (I report). Remember, 'reporte' is the document itself, not the action.
fugaz
foo-GAHSfuˈɡas
Examples
Vimos una estrella fugaz en el cielo nocturno.
We saw a shooting star in the night sky.
Fue un encuentro fugaz, pero muy especial.
It was a fleeting encounter, but very special.
Sentí una alegría fugaz al recibir la noticia.
I felt a fleeting joy upon hearing the news.
One size fits all
This word doesn't change based on gender. You can use 'fugaz' for both masculine words like 'un suspiro' (a sigh) and feminine words like 'una mirada' (a glance).
The vanishing Z
When you want to talk about more than one thing (plural), the 'z' at the end turns into a 'c' before adding 'es'. So, one is 'fugaz', but two are 'fugaces'.
Adding an 'a' for feminine words
Mistake: “una estrella fugaza”
Correction: una estrella fugaz. In Spanish, adjectives ending in 'z' usually stay the same for both boys and girls (masculine and feminine).
sintético
Examples
Su presentación fue muy sintética y clara.
His presentation was very concise and clear.
sumario
soo-mah-ryohsuˈmaɾjo
Examples
Fue un juicio sumario y sin garantías.
It was a summary trial without guarantees.
Hizo una revisión sumaria del informe.
He did a brief review of the report.
Matching the Noun
As an adjective, this word must change its ending to 'sumaria' if the thing it describes is feminine (e.g., 'una ejecución sumaria').
escrito
es-KREE-tohesˈkɾito
Examples
El juez solicitó que se presentara un escrito formal.
The judge requested that a formal document be submitted.
Aún no hemos terminado de redactar el escrito.
We still haven't finished drafting the piece of writing.
Fixed Gender
When 'escrito' is used as a noun meaning 'a document,' it is always masculine (el escrito), regardless of the gender of the writer or the topic.
Using the Feminine Article
Mistake: “La escrito es demasiado largo.”
Correction: El escrito es demasiado largo. (It must be 'el escrito' because the noun is masculine).
Brief vs. Short: Breve vs. Corto
Related Translations
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