How to Say "dark-skinned" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “dark-skinned” is “moreno” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Mi hermano es moreno y tiene los ojos verdes.
My brother is dark-haired and has green eyes.
Estás muy moreno después de tu viaje a la playa.
You are very tanned after your trip to the beach.
Prefiero usar azúcar moreno para el café.
I prefer to use brown sugar for the coffee.
The Tan vs. The Trait
Use 'ser' with moreno to describe someone's natural hair or skin color. Use 'estar' if you want to say someone looks tanned because they've been in the sun.
Gender Changes
Remember to change the ending to -a (morena) when describing a woman or a feminine object, like 'azúcar' (masculine) vs 'piel' (feminine).
Confusing 'moreno' with 'negro'
Mistake: “Using 'moreno' to describe a person of African descent when you mean 'Black'.”
Correction: While 'moreno' is a polite way to say dark-skinned, 'negro' is the standard word for Black. 'Moreno' usually implies brunette or tanned.
Related Translations
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