Inklingo

How to Say "savages" in Spanish

English → Spanish

animales

/ah-nee-MAH-les//aniˈmales/

nounB2informal
Use 'animales' when describing people acting in a rude, uncivilized, or uncontrolled manner, emphasizing their lack of manners or restraint.
A colorful illustration depicting two small children jumping wildly on a sofa and throwing pillows, creating a chaotic mess in a living room.

Examples

¡Comportaos! Parecéis animales en esta fiesta.

Behave yourselves! You look like savages at this party.

Esos conductores son unos animales, no respetan las señales.

Those drivers are beasts (meaning: reckless/stupid), they don't respect the signs.

Figurative Use

Using 'animales' to describe people is always a strong critique of their behavior, usually implying a lack of manners, intelligence, or control.

bestias

/BESS-tyahss//ˈbestjas/

nounB1informal
Choose 'bestias' to describe people acting brutally, unreasonably, or without any kindness, often implying a lack of empathy.
A rugged, untamed figure wearing tattered clothes and messy hair standing in a wild landscape.

Examples

¡No sean bestias! Coman con los cubiertos.

Don't be brutes! Eat with your silverware.

Esas bestias destruyeron el parque.

Those savages destroyed the park.

Describing People

When calling a group of people 'bestias', you always use 'unas' or 'las' because the word gender doesn't change to match the people.

salvajes

sahl-VAH-hes/salˈβaxes/

nounB2formal/informal
Use 'salvajes' when referring to groups of people considered uncivilized, often in a historical, anthropological, or figurative sense, like indigenous groups or wild animals in a specific context.
A simple illustration showing a group of undomesticated animals, specifically a brown bear, a gray wolf, and a striped tiger, standing together in a lush forest clearing.

Examples

El zoológico tiene una sección dedicada a los salvajes africanos.

The zoo has a section dedicated to the African wild animals.

Los exploradores fueron capturados por un grupo de salvajes.

The explorers were captured by a group of savages.

Adjective or Noun?

When 'salvajes' is used as a noun, it usually follows a definite article (like 'los' or 'unos') and refers directly to the people or animals themselves, not just their quality.

Behavior vs. Group Identity

Learners often confuse 'animales'/'bestias' with 'salvajes'. Remember that 'animales' and 'bestias' describe *behavior*, while 'salvajes' typically refers to a group's perceived state of civilization, often historically or figuratively.

Related Translations

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