How to Say "sickly" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “sickly” is “enfermizo” — B1 level.
Examples
De niño era un poco enfermizo y siempre tenía gripe.
As a child, he was a bit sickly and always had the flu.
Tiene un color de piel enfermizo por la falta de sol.
He has an unhealthy-looking skin tone due to the lack of sun.
Su constitución enfermiza le impedía hacer deportes pesados.
His frail constitution prevented him from doing heavy sports.
Adjective Agreement
Remember to change the ending to 'enfermiza' when describing a woman or a feminine object (like 'apariencia').
Sick vs. Sickly
This word describes a personality trait or a long-term state, not just being sick for a day.
Don't confuse with 'enfermo'
Mistake: “Estoy enfermizo hoy.”
Correction: Estoy enfermo hoy. (Use 'enfermo' for a temporary illness and 'enfermizo' for a general tendency to get sick).
Related Translations
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