How to Say "friendly" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “friendly” is “amable” — use this word to describe a person's consistently warm, kind, and polite behavior towards others.
amable
ah-MAH-blehaˈma.βle
Examples
Mi vecina es una persona muy amable.
My neighbor is a very kind person.
Gracias por ser tan amable conmigo.
Thank you for being so kind to me.
Fue muy amable de su parte ayudarme con las maletas.
It was very kind of you to help me with the bags.
One Form Fits All
Adjectives ending in '-e' like 'amable' don't change for men or women. It's 'el hombre amable' (the kind man) and 'la mujer amable' (the kind woman). The word always stays the same!
Always Use 'ser' (to be)
To say someone is kind, you'll almost always use 'ser' (e.g., 'Ella es amable'). Spanish speakers see kindness as a part of someone's personality, not just a temporary mood.
Confusing 'amable' and 'simpático'
Mistake: “Él es muy amable, siempre cuenta chistes.”
Correction: Use 'Él es muy simpático, siempre cuenta chistes.' 'Amable' is more about being polite and helpful. 'Simpático' is closer to being friendly, charming, or fun to be around.
simpático
Examples
Mi nueva jefa es muy simpática y siempre sonríe.
My new boss is very nice and always smiles.
amigable
ah-mee-GAH-blehamiˈɡaβle
Examples
Mi nuevo vecino es muy amigable.
My new neighbor is very friendly.
Los delfines son animales naturalmente amigables.
Dolphins are naturally friendly animals.
Llegaron a un acuerdo amigable para terminar el contrato.
They reached an amicable agreement to end the contract.
One Form for All
In Spanish, adjectives that end in '-e' like 'amigable' don't change based on gender. You use the same word for a man (un hombre amigable) and a woman (una mujer amigable).
Adding 'Very'
To say someone is 'extremely' friendly, you can add 'muy' before the word, or add the ending '-ísimo' to the root: 'amigabilísimo'.
The 'O' or 'A' Trap
Mistake: “Un chico amigablo / Una chica amigabla.”
Correction: Always use 'amigable'. Since it ends in 'e', it is gender-neutral and doesn't need to change to 'o' or 'a'.
majo
MAH-hoˈmaxo
Examples
Tu hermano es un chico muy majo.
Your brother is a very nice guy.
¡Qué maja es la vecina nueva!
How friendly the new neighbor is!
Me gusta salir con ellos porque son muy majos.
I like hanging out with them because they are very pleasant people.
Matching Gender and Number
The ending of 'majo' must change to match the person you are talking about. Use 'majo' for a man, 'maja' for a woman, 'majos' for a group of men or mixed group, and 'majas' for a group of women.
Used with the verb 'Ser'
Since being 'nice' is considered a personality trait, we almost always use the verb 'ser' (to be) with this word, rather than 'estar'.
Using it outside of Spain
Mistake: “Using 'majo' in Mexico or Argentina to mean 'nice'.”
Correction: In most of Latin America, use 'simpático' or 'buena onda' instead, as 'majo' is specifically a Spain-centered word.
amistoso
ah-mee-STOH-sohamisˈtoso
Examples
Juan es un chico muy amistoso y siempre sonríe.
Juan is a very friendly guy and always smiles.
El perro no es amistoso con los extraños.
The dog is not friendly with strangers.
Lograron un divorcio amistoso por el bien de sus hijos.
They achieved an amicable divorce for the sake of their children.
Matching the word to the person
This word changes its ending based on who you are talking about. Use 'amistoso' for a man or a boy, 'amistosa' for a woman or a girl, and 'amistosos' or 'amistosas' for groups.
Position of the word
In Spanish, you usually place this word AFTER the thing you are describing. For example: 'un vecino amistoso' (a friendly neighbor).
Confusing 'friend' and 'friendly'
Mistake: “Él es muy amigo.”
Correction: Él es muy amistoso.
abierto
ah-BYEHR-tohaˈbjeɾto
Examples
Ella es una persona muy abierta; siempre escucha diferentes opiniones.
She is a very open-minded person; she always listens to different opinions.
El debate de esta noche será abierto a preguntas del público.
Tonight's debate will be open to questions from the public.
Soy más abierto sobre mis sentimientos con mis amigos cercanos.
I am more frank/open about my feelings with my close friends.
Permanent Characteristic (Ser)
When describing a person's personality (like being friendly or open-minded), use the verb 'ser' (to be permanent), not 'estar', as this is a defining quality.
Literal Translation of 'Public'
Mistake: “El evento es público.”
Correction: El evento es abierto (a todos). (While 'público' is correct, 'abierto' often feels more natural when emphasizing accessibility to the general public, especially for competitions or meetings.)
amigo
ah-MEE-goaˈmiɣo
Examples
Le ofreció una mano amiga cuando más lo necesitaba.
He offered her a friendly (helping) hand when she needed it most.
Los dos países mantienen relaciones amigas.
The two countries maintain friendly relations.
Matching the Noun
When used to describe something, 'amigo' changes to match. For example, 'un país amigo' (a friendly country) or 'una nación amiga' (a friendly nation).
Overusing for 'Friendly'
Mistake: “Él es muy amigo.”
Correction: It's much more natural to say 'Él es muy amistoso' or 'Él es muy amable' to mean 'He is very friendly.' Using 'amigo' this way is more for set phrases.
Amable vs. Amigable vs. Amistoso
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.