Inklingo

How to Say "incidental" in Spanish

English → Spanish

accidental

/ahk-see-den-TAHL//aksiðenˈtal/

adjectiveA2general
Use this when 'incidental' means something happened by chance or as an unintended consequence, often implying a minor event.
A child looking surprised as they accidentally drop an ice cream cone on the sidewalk.

Examples

Fue un encuentro accidental en la calle.

It was an incidental meeting in the street.

La policía dice que el incendio fue accidental.

The police say the fire was accidental.

Esos detalles son accidentales y no afectan el plan final.

Those details are incidental and do not affect the final plan.

One Form for Both Genders

Words ending in '-al' like 'accidental' stay the same whether you are describing a masculine or feminine thing. You can say 'un golpe accidental' or 'una caída accidental'.

Placement After the Noun

In Spanish, 'accidental' usually comes after the person or thing it describes to distinguish it from other types of events.

Don't use it for 'by accident'

Mistake: “Lo hice accidental.”

Correction: Lo hice sin querer OR lo hice de forma accidental.

casual

/ka-SWAL//kaˈswal/

adjectiveB1general
Choose this when 'incidental' refers to something that happens by chance or without planning, similar to 'accidental' but often with a slightly more relaxed or informal feel.
A single four-leaf clover standing out in a patch of three-leaf clovers.

Examples

Fue un encuentro casual en la biblioteca.

It was an incidental meeting at the library.

No tengo un plan, es solo una observación casual.

I don't have a plan, it's just a casual observation.

El éxito no fue casual, trabajaron mucho.

The success wasn't accidental; they worked hard.

One size fits all

This word is the same whether you are describing a 'boy' word (masculine) or a 'girl' word (feminine). You don't need to change the ending to 'o' or 'a'.

Making it plural

Since the word ends in a consonant (L), you just add '-es' to make it plural: 'encuentros casuales'.

Casual vs. Casualidad

Mistake: “Use 'es un casual' to say 'it is a coincidence'.”

Correction: Say 'es una casualidad'. 'Casual' describes a thing (an adjective), while 'casualidad' is the noun for the event itself.

accesorio

/ahk-seh-SOH-ryoh//ak.se.ˈso.ɾjo/

adjectiveB2general
Use this when 'incidental' describes something that is secondary, subordinate, or a minor detail, not the main point of focus.
A large, grand house with a very small, simple wooden shed standing next to it.

Examples

Ese es un problema accesorio; lo importante es el presupuesto.

That is an incidental problem; the important thing is the budget.

Las piezas accesorias de la máquina son fáciles de reemplazar.

The secondary parts of the machine are easy to replace.

No te pierdas en los detalles accesorios.

Don't get lost in the incidental details.

Changing for Gender

Unlike the noun version, when used as an adjective, it must change to match the word it describes. Use 'accesorio' for masculine words and 'accesoria' for feminine words.

Forgetting the 'A'

Mistake: “Es una parte accesorio.”

Correction: Es una parte accesoria. Because 'parte' is feminine, you must change the ending of the adjective.

Accidental vs. Casual vs. Accesorio

Learners often confuse 'accidental' and 'casual' because both relate to chance. Remember that 'accidental' often implies a lack of intention, while 'casual' can also mean informal or relaxed. 'Accesorio' is distinct, referring to something secondary, not the main event.

Related Translations

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