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How to Say "savage" in Spanish

English → Spanish

feroz

feh-ROHSfeˈɾos

adjectiveB1general
Use 'feroz' to describe something untamed, aggressive, or intensely cruel, often applied to animals or strong emotions.
A snarling wolf with bared teeth standing in a dark forest.

Examples

Ten cuidado con ese perro, es muy feroz.

Be careful with that dog; it is very fierce.

El lobo feroz sopló y sopló la casa de paja.

The big bad wolf huffed and puffed at the straw house.

One Form for All

This word stays the same whether you are talking about a male (un león feroz) or a female (una leona feroz). You don't need to change the ending to 'a'.

Plural Spelling

Mistake: “Los perros ferozes.”

Correction: Los perros feroces.

brutal

broo-TAHLbɾuˈtal

adjectiveB1general
Use 'brutal' to describe actions or force that are excessively violent, harsh, or lacking in humanity.
A massive, stylized blue ocean wave violently crashes against a solitary, rugged gray rock, illustrating raw, rough force.

Examples

La policía usó una fuerza brutal contra los manifestantes.

The police used brutal force against the protesters.

El invierno en Siberia es brutal, con temperaturas bajo cero.

Winter in Siberia is harsh (brutal), with temperatures below zero.

Adjective Placement

Like many Spanish adjectives that describe a permanent quality, 'brutal' usually goes after the noun it describes (e.g., 'un calor brutal').

salvaje

sal-VA-hesalˈβaxe

adjectiveB2general
Use 'salvaje' to describe actions or situations characterized by violence and disorder, or to refer to a person lacking civilization.
A close-up illustration of a tiger's face with its mouth wide open, showing a fierce roar and intense eyes.

Examples

Hubo una protesta salvaje en la ciudad, con muchos disturbios.

There was a fierce/violent protest in the city, with many disturbances.

Su reacción fue tan salvaje que nadie supo qué hacer.

His reaction was so brutal/uncivilized that nobody knew what to do.

Lo trataron como a un salvaje por no usar cubiertos.

They treated him like a savage for not using cutlery.

Los exploradores se encontraron con los salvajes de la tribu.

The explorers met the savages of the tribe.

Adverb Form

To say something happened 'wildly' or 'savagely,' you add '-mente' to the feminine form: 'salvajemente'.

Gender Change

When used as a noun, 'salvaje' must match the person's gender: 'un salvaje' (a male savage) or 'una salvaje' (a female savage).

bárbaro

adjectiveB2general
Use 'bárbaro' to describe actions or people that are uncivilized, cruel, or primitive, often implying a lack of culture or morality.

Examples

Fue un ataque bárbaro contra civiles.

It was a barbaric attack against civilians.

Brutal vs. Salvaje Actions

Learners often confuse 'brutal' and 'salvaje' when describing violent actions. Use 'brutal' for excessive, harsh force, and 'salvaje' for actions involving intense disorder or a lack of civilization.

Related Translations

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