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How to Say "dishonest" in Spanish

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corrupto

ko-ROOP-tohkoˈrupto

adjectiveB1formal
Use 'corrupto' when referring to someone in a position of power who acts dishonestly for personal gain, often involving bribery or abuse of their authority.
A person in a suit handing a heavy bag of gold coins to another person under a table.

Examples

Muchos ciudadanos están cansados de los políticos corruptos.

Many citizens are tired of corrupt politicians.

Es difícil hacer negocios en un sistema corrupto.

It is difficult to do business in a corrupt system.

Gender Agreement

Since this is a describing word ending in 'o', it changes to 'corrupta' when talking about a woman or a feminine object, like 'una empresa corrupta'.

Corrupto vs. Corrompido

Mistake: “Using 'corrompido' to describe a person's character.”

Correction: Use 'corrupto' for people who take bribes. 'Corrompido' is more often used for things that have physically rotted or been ruined.

sucia

SOO-see-ahˈsu.sja

adjectiveB1
Choose 'sucia' to describe actions or methods that are dishonest and unfair, particularly in competitive situations like elections or games.
A simplified, golden balance scale where one side is visibly being pushed down by a large, shadowy hand, indicating unfairness.

Examples

Ella ganó la elección con una campaña sucia, llena de mentiras.

She won the election with a dirty campaign, full of lies.

No me gusta su mente sucia; siempre hace chistes inapropiados.

I don't like her dirty mind; she always makes inappropriate jokes.

Figurative Use

When 'sucia' refers to moral corruption or vulgarity, it often describes abstract feminine nouns like 'guerra' (war), 'campaña' (campaign), or 'mente' (mind).

tramposo

trahm-POH-sohtɾamˈposo

adjectiveA2informal
Use 'tramposo' to describe a person who habitually cheats or deceives others, often in games or everyday interactions, focusing on their character trait.
A child hiding a card behind their back while playing a card game.

Examples

No quiero jugar con él porque es muy tramposo.

I don't want to play with him because he is a big cheater.

Ese es un truco tramposo para ganar el nivel.

That is a sneaky trick to win the level.

Sus tácticas tramposas fueron descubiertas por el árbitro.

His cheating tactics were discovered by the referee.

Matching the Ending

Since this is an adjective, you must change the 'o' to an 'a' if you are describing a woman or a feminine object (e.g., 'una niña tramposa').

Using with 'Ser'

We almost always use 'ser' with this word because we are describing a person's character or a fixed quality of a game.

Cheater vs. Cheat

Mistake: “Hacer tramposo.”

Correction: Say 'hacer trampa' for the action of cheating, and use 'ser tramposo' to describe the person.

Choosing between 'corrupto' and 'tramposo'

Learners often confuse 'corrupto' and 'tramposo'. Remember, 'corrupto' applies to someone abusing power for gain, while 'tramposo' describes a general tendency to cheat, often in less serious contexts.

Related Translations

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