Inklingo

How to Say "shaky" in Spanish

English → Spanish

inestable

/ee-nes-TAH-bleh//inesˈtaβle/

adjectiveB1general
Use 'inestable' when referring to physical objects that are not steady and might fall or move unintentionally.
A stack of unevenly shaped wooden blocks leaning precariously to one side on a flat surface.

Examples

Esta silla vieja está muy inestable.

This old chair is very shaky.

Esta mesa es un poco inestable.

This table is a bit shaky.

El clima está muy inestable hoy; podría llover en cualquier momento.

The weather is very unstable today; it could rain at any moment.

La situación política en la región sigue siendo inestable.

The political situation in the region remains unstable.

One Form for Everyone

This word ends in -e, which means it stays the same whether you are describing a masculine noun (el clima) or a feminine noun (la mesa).

Ser vs. Estar

Use 'ser' if something is naturally unstable (like a bad personality trait) and 'estar' if it's currently unstable (like the weather or a wobbly chair).

Don't use 'inestabla'

Mistake:La silla está inestabla.

Correction: La silla está inestable. Adjectives ending in -e don't change to -a for feminine things.

movido

moh-VEE-doh/moˈβi.ðo/

adjectiveB1general
Use 'movido' to describe images or video footage that are blurry or unsteady due to movement during capture.
A simplified illustration of a person running quickly across a field, rendered with horizontal streaks of motion blur, making the figure look indistinct and blurry.

Examples

El video de la boda salió movido porque el camarógrafo se movía mucho.

The wedding video came out shaky because the cameraman moved a lot.

La foto de mi perro salió movida porque no se quedó quieto.

The photo of my dog came out blurry because he wouldn't stay still.

Necesitas un trípode; el video se ve muy movido.

You need a tripod; the video looks very shaky.

Physical vs. Visual Shakiness

Learners often confuse 'inestable' and 'movido' by using them interchangeably. Remember, 'inestable' applies to physical objects that are unsteady, while 'movido' specifically describes shaky or blurry images/videos.

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