Inklingo

How to Say "fringe" in Spanish

English → Spanish

marginal

/mar-hee-NAL//maɾxiˈnal/

adjectiveB1general
Use 'marginal' when referring to something that is on the edge, outside the mainstream, or considered unimportant, often in a social or economic context.
A small group of people standing in the shadow at the edge of a bright, bustling city square.

Examples

Las tribus urbanas a menudo son vistas como grupos marginales.

Urban tribes are often seen as fringe groups.

Muchos jóvenes viven en barrios marginales con pocos recursos.

Many young people live in marginalized neighborhoods with few resources.

El gobierno busca integrar a los grupos marginales.

The government seeks to integrate marginalized groups.

Es una zona marginal de la ciudad donde no llega el transporte.

It is an underprivileged area of the city where transport doesn't reach.

One word for both genders

This word doesn't change its ending for men or women. You can say 'un hombre marginal' or 'una mujer marginal'—the ending stays the same.

Describing neighborhoods

In Spanish, we usually put 'marginal' after the word for neighborhood (barrio) to describe its social condition.

Not just for 'pages'

Mistake: “Using 'marginal' only to mean the edge of a book.”

Correction: In Spanish, it most frequently refers to social exclusion and poverty.

pestaña

nounA2general
Use 'pestaña' specifically for the fringe of hair that grows on the edge of an eyelid (eyelash) or, very rarely, a decorative fringe on a border.

Examples

El fleco de la cortina tenía una pestaña decorativa.

The fringe of the curtain had a decorative edge.

Marginal vs. Pestaña

The most common mistake is using 'pestaña' when you mean 'marginal'. Remember, 'pestaña' is almost exclusively used for eyelashes or a very literal decorative edge. 'Marginal' is for concepts, groups, or areas that are outside the norm.

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