Inklingo

How to Say "selective" in Spanish

The Spanish word forselectiveis selectivoB1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishB1
adjectiveB1
choosing carefully
A child carefully picking only the brightest red apples from a basket of various fruits.

Examples

Él es muy selectivo con la comida que elige.

He is very selective with the food he chooses.

A veces tengo una memoria selectiva y olvido lo malo.

Sometimes I have a selective memory and forget the bad things.

La empresa tiene un proceso selectivo muy riguroso.

The company has a very rigorous selection process.

Matching the Gender

This word changes its ending depending on what you are describing. Use 'selectivo' for masculine items and 'selectiva' for feminine items.

Using 'Ser'

Because being selective is usually seen as a personality trait, you should use the verb 'ser' (to be) rather than 'estar'.

Confusing with 'Selection'

Mistake:Un selectivo de libros.

Correction: Una selección de libros.

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