How to Say "fresh" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “fresh” is “fresco” — use 'fresco' when referring to food or other items that are newly made, recently harvested, or not spoiled or stale.
fresco
FRES-kohˈfɾesko
Examples
Compramos pescado fresco en el mercado.
We bought fresh fish at the market.
Ella siempre tiene ideas frescas para el trabajo.
She always has fresh ideas for work.
Using 'Estar' for Condition
When talking about the current state of food (is it fresh right now?), use the verb 'estar': 'La carne está fresca' (The meat is fresh).
reciente
reh-SYEN-tehreˈsjen.te
Examples
El informe más reciente está en la mesa.
The most recent report is on the table.
Esta es la película más reciente del director.
This is the director's latest movie.
A causa de la reciente lluvia, el suelo está mojado.
Because of the recent rain, the ground is wet.
Gender is Easy!
Unlike many Spanish adjectives, 'reciente' always looks the same, whether you are describing a masculine thing (el coche reciente) or a feminine thing (la noticia reciente). It only changes to 'recientes' when plural.
Forgetting the Plural 's'
Mistake: “Vi las dos publicación reciente.”
Correction: Vi las dos publicaciones recientes. (Make sure to add the '-s' when describing more than one thing.)
potable
poh-TAH-blehpoˈta.βle
Examples
El agua del grifo en esta ciudad es potable.
The tap water in this city is safe to drink.
¿Sabes si hay alguna fuente de agua potable por aquí?
Do you know if there is a drinking water fountain around here?
Muchos países luchan por el acceso al agua potable.
Many countries struggle for access to clean drinking water.
One word for both genders
This word stays the same whether the thing you are describing is 'masculine' or 'feminine.' You say 'el agua potable' and 'un líquido potable.'
Placement after the noun
In Spanish, we almost always put 'potable' after the word 'agua' (water) rather than before it.
Don't use it for food
Mistake: “La comida es potable.”
Correction: La comida es comestible.
dulce
DOOL-sehˈdul.se
Examples
El café está demasiado dulce para mí.
The coffee is too sweet for me.
Mi abuela es una mujer muy dulce y amable.
My grandmother is a very sweet and kind woman.
Los peces de agua dulce viven en ríos y lagos.
Freshwater fish live in rivers and lakes.
Adjectives That Don't Change
Adjectives that end in '-e', like 'dulce', are super easy! They don't change for masculine or feminine things. It's 'el pastel dulce' (masculine) and 'la fresa dulce' (feminine).
Don't Add an '-a' for Feminine
Mistake: “La manzana es dulca.”
Correction: La manzana es dulce. Because 'dulce' ends in '-e', it stays the same for both masculine and feminine things.
novedoso
no-ve-DOH-sohno.βeˈðo.so
Examples
La empresa lanzó un producto novedoso que no necesita cables.
The company launched a novel product that doesn't need cables.
Tu propuesta es muy novedosa, nadie había pensado en eso antes.
Your proposal is very innovative; nobody had thought of that before.
El arquitecto diseñó una casa con un estilo muy novedoso.
The architect designed a house with a very fresh style.
Matching the word it describes
This word changes its ending based on the thing it describes. Use 'novedoso' for masculine items and 'novedosa' for feminine items. If there are more than one, use 'novedosos' or 'novedosas'.
Placement after the noun
Usually, you put this word after the person or thing you are talking about. For example, say 'una idea novedosa' rather than 'una novedosa idea' to sound more natural.
Using 'nuevo' for everything
Mistake: “Tengo un coche novedoso.”
Correction: Tengo un coche nuevo. Use 'nuevo' for something you just bought, and 'novedoso' for something that is a creative or groundbreaking concept.
Fresco vs. Dulce for Water
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