How to Say "imaginary" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “imaginary” is “ficticio” — use 'ficticio' when referring to characters, stories, or concepts that are not real and exist only in fiction or imagination, like a character in a novel..
ficticio
/feek-TEE-syoh//fikˈtisjo/
Examples
El personaje principal de la novela es ficticio.
The main character of the novel is fictional.
Sherlock Holmes es un personaje ficticio.
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character.
La historia ocurre en un mundo ficticio.
The story takes place in a fictional world.
Usó un nombre ficticio para entrar al club.
He used a fictitious name to enter the club.
Matching Endings
This word must change its ending to match the person or thing it describes. Use 'ficticio' for masculine items and 'ficticia' for feminine items. For plural, use 'ficticios' or 'ficticias'.
Word Order
In Spanish, you almost always place 'ficticio' after the noun you are describing, like 'un mundo ficticio' (a fictional world).
Confusing 'Ficticio' and 'Falso'
Mistake: “Using 'ficticio' for a broken promise or a lie.”
Correction: Use 'ficticio' for things created by imagination (books) or identity (fake names). Use 'falso' for things that are simply not true or deceptive.
irreal
/ee-rray-ahl//i.reˈal/
Examples
La escena del sueño era completamente irreal.
The dream scene was completely unreal.
El paisaje de ese planeta era totalmente irreal.
The landscape of 그 planet was totally unreal.
A veces tengo sueños que parecen muy reales, pero son irreales.
Sometimes I have dreams that seem very real, but they are unreal.
Vivimos en un mundo irreal creado por las redes sociales.
We live in an unreal world created by social media.
One form for everyone
This word doesn't change based on whether the thing you are describing is masculine or feminine. It always ends in 'l'.
Making it plural
To talk about more than one thing, simply add 'es' to the end to make it 'irreales'.
The 'i' vs 'un' prefix
Mistake: “Using 'unreal' or 'anreal' in Spanish.”
Correction: Always use 'irreal'. In Spanish, we often use 'ir-' before words starting with 'r' to mean 'not'.
fantástico
Examples
Había un dragón fantástico en el cuento de hadas.
There was a fantastic dragon in the fairy tale.
inexistente
/ee-nehk-sees-TEHN-teh//ineksisˈtente/
Examples
La amenaza era inexistente; solo estaba en su cabeza.
The threat was non-existent; it was only in his head.
Los unicornios son animales inexistentes.
Unicorns are non-existent animals.
El servicio al cliente en esa tienda es casi inexistente.
The customer service in that store is almost non-existent.
El juez desestimó el caso por pruebas inexistentes.
The judge dismissed the case due to non-existent evidence.
One Form for All
This word ends in -e, which means it stays exactly the same whether you are describing a masculine or feminine person or thing.
Placement is Key
Like most adjectives in Spanish, 'inexistente' usually comes after the noun it describes.
The 'Feminine' Trap
Mistake: “La prueba es inexistenta.”
Correction: La prueba es inexistente.
Ficticio vs. Irreal
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.