Inklingo

How to Say "sly" in Spanish

The Spanish word forslyis vivosB1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishB1
adjectiveB1
cunning, especially in business
A smiling, anthropomorphic cartoon fox sitting proudly next to a perfectly solved wooden pyramid puzzle.

Examples

Mis hermanos son muy vivos, siempre saben cómo negociar.

My brothers are very clever; they always know how to negotiate.

Tienes que estar con los ojos bien vivos cuando viajas.

You have to be very alert (literally: with your eyes very sharp) when you travel.

Ser vs. Estar

Mistake:Using 'estar vivos' to mean 'they are clever'.

Correction: Use 'son vivos' (with the verb 'ser') to describe cleverness, as it's an inherent personality trait. 'Están vivos' means 'They are currently alive'.

Related Translations

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