Inklingo

How to Say "poor" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “poor” is “pobre” — use this when referring to a lack of money or material wealth, often describing people or families.

pobre🔊A2

Use this when referring to a lack of money or material wealth, often describing people or families.

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malo🔊A1

Use this for low quality in a general sense, like a poor connection, a bad movie, or an unfair situation.

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mal🔊A1

Use this to describe a low-quality state or condition, often referring to circumstances or weather.

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deficiente🔊B1

Use this when the quality or performance of something is lacking or insufficient, such as service or a product.

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delicado🔊B1

Use this specifically when referring to someone's health being poor or fragile.

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flojo🔊B1

Use this to describe something as weak, lacking in substance, or of low quality, like weak coffee or a half-hearted effort.

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precario🔊B2

Use this to describe conditions, resources, or situations that are unstable, inadequate, or lacking essential support.

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miserable🔊B1

Use this to describe something as extremely poor in quality or quantity, often implying inadequacy or meagerness.

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humilde🔊B1

Use this to describe someone's background or origin as simple, modest, or not wealthy, often used with 'origen'.

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English → Spanish

pobre

PO-brehˈpo.βɾe

adjectiveA2general
Use this when referring to a lack of money or material wealth, often describing people or families.
A small, simple, ceramic piggy bank that has a crack in it and is lying on its side, completely empty, illustrating a lack of money.

Examples

Es una familia muy pobre, no tienen mucho dinero.

They are a very poor family, they don't have much money.

¡Pobre niño! Se cayó de la bicicleta.

Poor kid! He fell off his bike.

La cena fue un poco pobre, solo sopa y pan.

The dinner was a bit meager, just soup and bread.

Position Changes Everything!

The meaning of 'pobre' changes depending on where you put it. Before a person or thing, it means 'unfortunate' or 'pitiful' (¡Pobre Juan!). After it, the word usually means 'lacking money' (Un hombre pobre).

Same for Him and Her

'Pobre' doesn't change for masculine or feminine things. You say 'un hombre pobre' and 'una mujer pobre'. Just add an 's' for plural: 'los niños pobres'.

Sympathy vs. Money

Mistake: “Vi un hombre pobre en la calle. (when you mean you felt sorry for him)”

Correction: Vi a un pobre hombre en la calle. (To show you feel sympathy, put 'pobre' first. Saying 'hombre pobre' just describes his financial status.)

malo

MAH-loh'malo

adjectiveA1general
Use this for low quality in a general sense, like a poor connection, a bad movie, or an unfair situation.
A poorly made, broken toy robot with an arm dangling off, illustrating low quality.

Examples

Este es un libro malo; no me gusta.

This is a bad book; I don't like it.

Tuve un mal día en el trabajo.

I had a bad day at work.

La película tiene un final muy malo.

The movie has a very bad ending.

Shortening 'malo' to 'mal'

When 'malo' comes right before a masculine word, it shortens to 'mal'. For example, you say 'un mal día' (a bad day), not 'un malo día'.

Matching the Noun

Like most adjectives, 'malo' changes to match the thing it describes: 'malo' (masculine singular), 'mala' (feminine singular), 'malos' (masculine plural), and 'malas' (feminine plural).

Forgetting to shorten to 'mal'

Mistake: “Tengo un malo presentimiento.”

Correction: Tengo un mal presentimiento. (I have a bad feeling.) Remember to drop the '-o' before a single masculine thing.

mal

malmal

adjectiveA1general
Use this to describe a low-quality state or condition, often referring to circumstances or weather.
A person standing under a personal, small dark rain cloud while everyone else around is in the bright sunshine, representing a 'bad day'.

Examples

Hoy es un mal día para ir a la playa.

Today is a bad day to go to the beach.

Fue un malentendido.

It was a misunderstanding.

El lobo es el mal personaje del cuento.

The wolf is the bad character in the story.

The Shortening Rule

The adjective 'malo' changes to 'mal' ONLY when it comes right before a masculine noun. For example, 'un día malo' becomes 'un mal día'.

Using `mal` after the noun

Mistake: “Es un día mal.”

Correction: Es un día malo. The short form 'mal' can only go before the noun. If you put the adjective after, you must use the full form 'malo'.

deficiente

deh-fee-thyehn-tehdefiˈθjente

adjectiveB1general
Use this when the quality or performance of something is lacking or insufficient, such as service or a product.
A sad child holding a broken wooden toy car with a missing wheel.

Examples

El servicio de atención al cliente es deficiente en esta tienda.

The customer service is poor in this store.

Muchos niños sufren de una nutrición deficiente en esa región.

Many children suffer from inadequate nutrition in that region.

El informe fue considerado deficiente porque le faltaban datos importantes.

The report was considered substandard because it was missing important data.

One Form for Everyone

This word ends in -e, which means it doesn't change to 'deficienta' for feminine things. You use 'deficiente' for both men and women, or masculine and feminine objects.

Placement Matters

When you put this word after a noun (like 'servicio deficiente'), you are emphasizing that the quality is objectively below standard.

The 'A' Mistake

Mistake: “La comida es deficienta.”

Correction: La comida es deficiente. Words ending in -ente usually stay the same regardless of gender.

delicado

deh-lee-KAH-dohdeliˈkaðo

adjectiveB1general
Use this specifically when referring to someone's health being poor or fragile.
A small figure cautiously walking on a very narrow, winding ice path suspended high above a dark chasm, representing a tricky or sensitive situation.

Examples

Mi tío está delicado de salud desde la operación.

My uncle has been in poor health since the operation.

Tuvimos que manejar el tema con mucho tacto porque era una cuestión delicada.

We had to handle the topic with great care because it was a sensitive issue.

Describing Health

When talking about someone's health, use the verb 'estar' (to be temporarily) with 'delicado' to mean they are currently ill or frail: 'Ella está delicada'.

Using 'Ser' for Temporary Health

Mistake: “Mi abuelo es delicado de salud.”

Correction: Mi abuelo está delicado de salud. ('Ser' implies a permanent trait; 'estar' implies a current state.)

flojo

FLO-hoˈflox o

adjectiveB1informal
Use this to describe something as weak, lacking in substance, or of low quality, like weak coffee or a half-hearted effort.
A thin, wilted flower drooping towards the ground.

Examples

Este café está muy flojo, parece agua.

This coffee is very weak; it tastes like water.

La película tuvo un final muy flojo.

The movie had a very weak ending.

Las ventas han estado flojas este mes.

Sales have been sluggish this month.

Abstract Weakness

While 'débil' describes physical weakness (like a sick person), 'flojo' describes a lack of quality, effort, or intensity in things like movies, arguments, or coffee.

precario

pre-KAH-ryohpɾeˈkaɾjo

adjectiveB2general
Use this to describe conditions, resources, or situations that are unstable, inadequate, or lacking essential support.
A simple wooden chair with a broken leg and cracked seat.

Examples

Viven en condiciones precarias sin agua corriente.

They live in poor conditions without running water.

Su salud es precaria desde el accidente.

His health has been poor/fragile since the accident.

Los medios económicos del hospital son precarios.

The hospital's financial resources are meager.

Describing groups

When describing a group of people in poor conditions, use 'precarios' for men/mixed groups and 'precarias' for all-women groups.

Precario vs Pobre

Mistake: “Thinking 'precario' is just another word for 'poor'.”

Correction: While similar, 'precario' implies that the situation is likely to break or fail, while 'pobre' just means there is no money.

miserable

mee-seh-RAH-blehmi.seˈɾa.βle

adjectiveB1general
Use this to describe something as extremely poor in quality or quantity, often implying inadequacy or meagerness.
A large, empty white plate with only a single, minuscule green pea sitting in the center.

Examples

El salario que me ofrecieron era realmente miserable.

The salary they offered me was truly miserable (meager/inadequate).

Vivían en condiciones miserables, sin agua potable.

They lived in wretched conditions, without drinking water.

Describing Resources

When talking about money, living situations, or food, using 'miserable' emphasizes how desperately poor or insufficient the resource is.

humilde

oo-MEEL-dehuˈmil.de

adjectiveB1general
Use this to describe someone's background or origin as simple, modest, or not wealthy, often used with 'origen'.
A small, unpainted wooden cottage with a single window and a simple stone path leading to the door, surrounded by green grass.

Examples

A pesar de su origen humilde, llegó a ser presidente.

Despite his humble origin, he became president.

Viven en una casa humilde, pero es muy acogedora.

They live in a simple/modest house, but it is very cozy.

Pidió un trabajo humilde para empezar a ganar dinero.

He asked for a lowly job to start earning money.

Describing Things

When describing things like houses or backgrounds, 'humilde' means 'simple' or 'not fancy' rather than lacking self-confidence.

Confusing 'Pobre' and 'Malo/Mal'

Learners often confuse 'pobre' (lacking money) with 'malo' or 'mal' (low quality). Remember that 'pobre' primarily refers to financial status, while 'malo' and 'mal' describe quality or condition. Use 'pobre' for a poor family and 'malo' for a poor connection.

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