Inklingo

How to Say "mischievous" in Spanish

English → Spanish

pillo

PEE-yohˈpiʎo

adjectiveA2informal
Use 'pillo' when referring to someone, often a child, who is cleverly or slyly naughty, especially in a way that involves outsmarting others or finding hidden things.
A young child with bright eyes and a mischievous smile peeking out from behind a bright blue curtain, holding a single wrapped piece of candy.

Examples

Mi gato es muy pillo; siempre sabe cuándo voy a darle de comer.

My cat is very mischievous; he always knows when I'm going to feed him.

Mi hijo es muy pillo; siempre encuentra dónde escondí los dulces.

My son is very mischievous; he always finds where I hid the candy.

¡Qué pillo eres! Me engañaste con esa broma.

What a cheeky person you are! You fooled me with that joke.

Gender and Number

Like many Spanish adjectives, 'pillo' must match the person or thing it describes: 'pillo' (masculine singular), 'pilla' (feminine singular), 'pillos' (masculine plural), 'pillas' (feminine plural).

travieso

trah-bee-EH-sohtɾaˈβjeso

adjectiveA2informal
Choose 'travieso' for general playful naughtiness or when describing a child who actively causes minor trouble or disruptions in a lighthearted way.
A small puppy sitting on a colorful rug with a single sneaker in its mouth, looking playful.

Examples

El perro travieso mordió el zapato nuevo.

The mischievous dog chewed the new shoe.

El niño es muy travieso y siempre esconde mis zapatos.

The boy is very mischievous and always hides my shoes.

Tengo un gatito travieso que juega con las cortinas.

I have a playful kitten that plays with the curtains.

No seas travieso, siéntate y come tu cena.

Don't be naughty, sit down and eat your dinner.

Matching the Person

This word needs to change its ending to match who you are talking about: 'travieso' for a boy, 'traviesa' for a girl, 'traviesos' for a group of boys (or mixed), and 'traviesas' for a group of girls.

Using 'Ser' vs 'Estar'

Use 'ser' if the person is naturally mischievous by personality. Use 'estar' if they are just acting up or being playful at this specific moment.

Don't use 'malo' for fun trouble

Mistake: “Mi perro es malo.”

Correction: Mi perro es travieso.

Pillo vs. Travieso

Learners often confuse 'pillo' and 'travieso' because both mean 'mischievous.' The key difference is that 'pillo' implies a cleverness or slyness in the naughtiness, like outsmarting someone, while 'travieso' is a more general term for playful troublemaking.

Related Translations

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