How to Say "skinny person" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “skinny person” is “fideo” — use 'fideo' to describe someone who is extremely thin, often implying they have become so due to dieting or illness. It's a common, albeit slightly informal, comparison..
fideo
/fee-DEH-oh//ˈfide.o/
Examples
Después de la enfermedad, se quedó hecho un fideo.
After the illness, he became as thin as a rail.
Desde que hace dieta, Juan está hecho un fideo.
Since he's been on a diet, Juan is thin as a rail.
¡Come un poco más, que pareces un fideo!
Eat a bit more, you look like a noodle!
Su hermano es un fideo, pero tiene mucha fuerza.
His brother is a skinny guy, but he's very strong.
Describing changes
When someone has become thin, we use the phrase 'estar hecho un fideo'. The word 'estar' helps show that this is a state or a result of a change.
Don't use with 'ser' for recent changes
Mistake: “Soy un fideo (if you just lost weight).”
Correction: Use 'estoy hecho un fideo' to emphasize the current state or the transformation.
sardina
/sar-DEE-nah//saɾˈðina/
Examples
¡Mira ese chico, parece una sardina!
Look at that guy, he looks like a sardine!
Me gusta comer sardinas asadas con limón.
I like eating grilled sardines with lemon.
Compramos tres latas de sardinas en el mercado.
We bought three cans of sardines at the market.
El autobús iba tan lleno que estábamos como sardinas en lata.
The bus was so full that we were packed like sardines.
Always Feminine
Even if you are talking about a male fish, the word 'sardina' is always feminine. You use 'la sardina' or 'las sardinas' regardless of the fish's biological sex.
Using the Plural for Food
When talking about eating them as a dish, Spanish speakers usually use the plural 'sardinas' rather than the singular, unless they are literally talking about one single fish.
Gender confusion
Mistake: “Me gusta el sardina.”
Correction: Me gusta la sardina (or las sardinas). Spanish nouns ending in -a are almost always feminine.
Fideo vs. Sardina for 'Skinny Person'
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