Inklingo

How to Say "muddy" in Spanish

The Spanish word formuddyis turbioA2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishA2

turbio

adjectiveA2
liquids containing sediment
A glass filled with murky, swirling brown liquid where you cannot see through to the other side.

Examples

El agua del río está muy turbia después de la lluvia.

The river water is very murky after the rain.

No bebas ese vino, se ve un poco turbio.

Don't drink that wine; it looks a bit cloudy.

Sus ojos se volvieron turbios por el cansancio.

Their eyes became cloudy from tiredness.

Matching the Noun

Remember to change the ending to 'turbia' if you are describing a feminine word like 'el agua' (which is feminine even though it uses 'el') or 'la vista'.

Using 'Estar' for Temporary States

We usually use 'estar' with this word because being cloudy or murky is often a temporary condition, like 'El cristal está turbio' (The glass is cloudy).

Turbio vs. Sucio

Mistake:Using 'turbio' for a dirty floor.

Correction: Use 'sucio' for dirt on a surface. Use 'turbio' for things that should be see-through but aren't (like water, air, or glass).

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