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How to Say "poisonous" in Spanish

English → Spanish

tóxico

adjectiveA2general
Use 'tóxico' when referring to substances, often man-made like chemicals or pollutants, that are harmful if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed.

Examples

Ten cuidado, esos productos de limpieza son tóxicos.

Be careful, those cleaning products are toxic.

venenoso

/beh-neh-NOH-soh//be.neˈno.so/

adjectiveA2general
Use 'venenoso' when describing plants, animals, or fungi that are harmful or deadly if touched or eaten, emphasizing a natural source of poison.
A bright red mushroom with white spots growing in green grass.

Examples

Este hongo es muy venenoso; no lo toques.

This mushroom is very poisonous; don't touch it.

Algunas serpientes de esta zona son venenosas.

Some snakes in this area are venomous.

El producto de limpieza es venenoso si se ingiere.

The cleaning product is poisonous if swallowed.

One word for two English concepts

In English, we say 'venomous' for animals that bite and 'poisonous' for things you eat. In Spanish, 'venenoso' is the all-in-one word for both!

Gender matching

If you are describing something feminine, like 'una araña' (a spider), you must change the ending to 'a': 'una araña venenosa'.

Using the wrong 'to be'

Mistake:Está venenoso.

Correction: Es venenoso. Use 'ser' because being poisonous is a permanent characteristic of that thing.

Tóxico vs. Venenoso

Learners often confuse 'tóxico' and 'venenoso'. Remember that 'tóxico' leans towards chemical or industrial substances, while 'venenoso' is more commonly used for natural sources like poisonous plants or animals.

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