How to Say "notorious" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “notorious” is “buscado” — use 'buscado' when referring to someone, usually a criminal or fugitive, who is actively being searched for by authorities.
buscado
boo-SKAH-dohbusˈkaðo
Examples
El ladrón es el hombre más buscado por la policía de la ciudad.
The thief is the most wanted man by the city's police.
Es un talento muy buscado en el mundo de la música.
He is a very sought-after talent in the music world.
La policía capturó al criminal más buscado del país.
The police captured the country's most wanted criminal.
Las flores más buscadas son las rosas rojas.
The most desired flowers are red roses.
Adjective Agreement
When 'buscado' describes a noun, it must match the noun's gender and number. Examples: 'el libro buscado' (m. sing.), 'la joya buscada' (f. sing.), 'los artículos buscados' (m. plural).
famoso
fah-MOH-sohfaˈmoso
Examples
Ese político se hizo famoso por un escándalo de corrupción.
That politician became famous for a corruption scandal.
Este es un actor muy famoso.
This is a very famous actor.
La ciudad es famosa por sus vinos.
The city is famous for its wines.
Esa canción se hizo famosa en los años noventa.
That song became famous in the nineties.
Adjective Agreement
Since 'famoso' is an adjective, it must change its ending to match the thing it describes (the noun). Use 'famoso' for masculine singular, 'famosa' for feminine singular, 'famosos' for masculine plural, and 'famosas' for feminine plural.
Forgetting Agreement
Mistake: “Las cantantes famoso.”
Correction: Las cantantes famosas. (Since 'cantantes' is plural and feminine, 'famoso' must also be plural and feminine.)
notorio
no-TO-ryonoˈtoɾjo
Examples
El deterioro notorio del edificio requería una intervención urgente.
The notorious deterioration of the building required urgent intervention.
Hubo un cambio notorio en su actitud después de las vacaciones.
There was an obvious change in his attitude after the vacation.
Es un hecho notorio que la ciudad ha crecido mucho.
It is a well-known fact that the city has grown a lot.
La falta de personal es notoria en este hospital.
The lack of staff is evident in this hospital.
Matching the Noun
Since this is an adjective, it must match the gender of the thing it describes. Use 'notorio' for masculine things (un cambio notorio) and 'notoria' for feminine things (una diferencia notoria).
Positioning for Emphasis
You usually place 'notorio' after the noun it describes to sound natural, though in very formal writing it might occasionally appear before.
The 'Notorious' Trap
Mistake: “Using 'notorio' to mean someone is famous for doing something bad.”
Correction: In English, 'notorious' is usually negative. In Spanish, 'notorio' is mostly neutral and just means 'obvious' or 'clear.' To say someone is notorious in a bad way, use 'infame'.
Confusing 'famoso' and 'notorio'
Related Translations
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