How to Say "cloudy" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “cloudy” is “cubierto” — use 'cubierto' when referring to the sky being overcast or covered by clouds.
cubierto
koo-BYEHR-tohkuˈβjeɾto
Examples
El cielo está cubierto hoy.
The sky is cloudy today.
La mesa del jardín estaba cubierta por una lona.
The garden table was covered by a tarp.
Hoy el cielo está cubierto, parece que va a llover.
Today the sky is cloudy, it looks like it's going to rain.
Hemos cubierto todos los gastos del viaje.
We have covered all the expenses of the trip.
Adjective Agreement
As an adjective, 'cubierto' must match the thing it describes in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural). For example: 'El plato está cubierto' (The plate is covered) vs. 'La mesa está cubierta' (The table is covered).
Irregular Past Participle
'Cubierto' is the irregular past participle of the verb 'cubrir' (to cover). This means it doesn't follow the usual '-ido' ending rule, but you use it exactly the same way to form perfect tenses (e.g., 'ha cubierto' = 'has covered').
Forgetting Gender
Mistake: “La caja está cubierto.”
Correction: La caja está cubierta. (Caja is feminine, so the adjective must be feminine.)
turbio
TOOR-byohˈtuɾ.βjo
Examples
El agua del estanque está turbia.
The pond water is cloudy.
El agua del río está muy turbia después de la lluvia.
The river water is very murky after the rain.
No bebas ese vino, se ve un poco turbio.
Don't drink that wine; it looks a bit cloudy.
Sus ojos se volvieron turbios por el cansancio.
Their eyes became cloudy from tiredness.
Matching the Noun
Remember to change the ending to 'turbia' if you are describing a feminine word like 'el agua' (which is feminine even though it uses 'el') or 'la vista'.
Using 'Estar' for Temporary States
We usually use 'estar' with this word because being cloudy or murky is often a temporary condition, like 'El cristal está turbio' (The glass is cloudy).
Turbio vs. Sucio
Mistake: “Using 'turbio' for a dirty floor.”
Correction: Use 'sucio' for dirt on a surface. Use 'turbio' for things that should be see-through but aren't (like water, air, or glass).
Sky vs. Liquid Clarity
Related Translations
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