How to Say "questionable" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “questionable” is “dudoso” — use 'dudoso' when referring to something or someone that has a bad reputation or is of uncertain quality.
dudoso
doo-DOH-sohduˈðoso
Examples
Ese negocio tiene una reputación dudosa.
That business has a questionable reputation.
Compró carne de origen dudoso en el mercado.
He bought meat of suspicious origin at the market.
No confío en él, tiene un pasado dudoso.
I don't trust him; he has a shady past.
Using 'de' for origin
To say something comes from a shady place, use the phrase 'de procedencia dudosa' or 'de origen dudoso'.
Dudoso vs. Sospechoso
Mistake: “Using 'dudoso' for a person acting weirdly in the street.”
Correction: Use 'sospechoso' for a person behaving strangely, and 'dudoso' for the quality of their character or the thing they are doing.
sospechoso
soh-speh-CHOH-sohsospeˈtʃoso
Examples
Encontraron un paquete sospechoso debajo de la mesa.
They found a suspicious package under the table.
Su comportamiento era muy sospechoso cuando le preguntamos por el dinero.
His behavior was very suspicious when we asked him about the money.
Me parece sospechosa esa oferta de trabajo; pagan demasiado.
That job offer seems doubtful to me; they pay too much.
Matching Endings
As an adjective, 'sospechoso' must change its ending to match the thing it describes. For a feminine noun like 'persona,' you must say 'persona sospechosa.'
Reputation vs. Suspicion
Related Translations
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