How to Say "negligible" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “negligible” is “insignificante” — use 'insignificante' when the amount or quantity is so small that it can be disregarded or is not important enough to consider..
English → Spanish
insignificante
/een-seeg-nee-fee-KAHN-teh//insiɣnifiˈkante/
adjectiveB2general
Use 'insignificante' when the amount or quantity is so small that it can be disregarded or is not important enough to consider.
Examples
La diferencia de precio entre las dos tiendas es insignificante.
The price difference between the two stores is negligible.
Recibió una cantidad insignificante de dinero.
He received a paltry amount of money.
despreciable
/des-pre-SYAH-bleh//despreˈθjaβle/
adjectiveC1general
Use 'despreciable' when referring to amounts or quantities that are so minimal they are practically non-existent or can be dismissed with contempt.
Examples
El riesgo de accidente es prácticamente despreciable.
The risk of an accident is practically negligible.
Hubo una cantidad despreciable de lluvia este mes.
There was an insignificant amount of rain this month.
Insignificante vs. Despreciable
Learners often confuse 'insignificante' and 'despreciable' because both mean 'small'. Remember that 'despreciable' carries a stronger sense of being dismissible or almost non-existent, while 'insignificante' simply means unimportant due to size.
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