Inklingo

How to Say "dirty" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “dirty” is “sucio” — use 'sucio' when referring to something that is physically unclean, stained, or covered in dirt, or when describing morally corrupt or dishonest actions..

English → Spanish

sucio

SOO-thee-oh (Spain) / SOO-see-oh (Latin America)/ˈsu.θjo/

AdjectiveA1General
Use 'sucio' when referring to something that is physically unclean, stained, or covered in dirt, or when describing morally corrupt or dishonest actions.
A close-up of a sturdy hiking boot thoroughly covered in thick brown mud and dirt, illustrating physical uncleanliness.

Examples

Mis zapatos están muy sucios después de caminar en el parque.

My shoes are very dirty after walking in the park.

Necesitas cambiarte; toda tu ropa está sucia.

You need to change; all your clothes are dirty.

El suelo de la cocina estaba sucio con migas y grasa.

The kitchen floor was dirty with crumbs and grease.

Ganó el partido con un juego sucio y muchas trampas.

He won the match with dirty play and lots of cheating.

Adjective Agreement

Since 'sucio' describes nouns, its ending must match the noun. Use 'sucio' (masculine singular), 'sucia' (feminine singular), 'sucios' (masculine plural), or 'sucias' (feminine plural).

Forgetting Gender Agreement

Mistake: “La camisa es sucio.”

Correction: La camisa es sucia. (Always match the adjective to the noun's gender, 'camisa' is feminine.)

sucio

SOO-thee-oh (Spain) / SOO-see-oh (Latin America)/ˈsu.θjo/

AdjectiveB1General
Use 'sucio' to describe actions, behavior, or people that are morally wrong, dishonest, or unfair, especially in competitive situations.
A close-up of a sturdy hiking boot thoroughly covered in thick brown mud and dirt, illustrating physical uncleanliness.

Examples

Ganó el partido con un juego sucio y muchas trampas.

He won the match with dirty play and lots of cheating.

Mis zapatos están muy sucios después de caminar en el parque.

My shoes are very dirty after walking in the park.

Necesitas cambiarte; toda tu ropa está sucia.

You need to change; all your clothes are dirty.

El suelo de la cocina estaba sucio con migas y grasa.

The kitchen floor was dirty with crumbs and grease.

Adjective Agreement

Since 'sucio' describes nouns, its ending must match the noun. Use 'sucio' (masculine singular), 'sucia' (feminine singular), 'sucios' (masculine plural), or 'sucias' (feminine plural).

Forgetting Gender Agreement

Mistake: “La camisa es sucio.”

Correction: La camisa es sucia. (Always match the adjective to the noun's gender, 'camisa' is feminine.)

verde

/BEHR-deh//ˈbeɾðe/

AdjectiveB2Informal
Use 'verde' exclusively when referring to jokes, stories, or comments that are obscene, vulgar, or sexually suggestive.
A simple cartoon character sticking out a tongue and crossing eyes, looking childishly impolite.

Examples

A mi jefe no le gusta que contemos chistes verdes en la oficina.

My boss doesn't like us telling dirty/obscene jokes in the office.

La película tenía diálogos un poco verdes para un público infantil.

The movie had slightly crude dialogue for a child audience.

Sucio vs. Verde for 'Dirty'

Learners often mistakenly use 'sucio' to describe offensive jokes. Remember, 'sucio' refers to physical dirt or moral corruption, while 'verde' is specifically for obscene or vulgar humor.

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