How to Say "stern" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “stern” is “severo” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Mi abuelo era un hombre muy severo pero nos quería mucho.
My grandfather was a very strict man but he loved us a lot.
El juez dictó una sentencia severa contra el criminal.
The judge handed down a harsh sentence against the criminal.
Las reglas del internado son muy severas.
The rules of the boarding school are very strict.
Adjective Agreement
Like most adjectives ending in 'o', it must change to 'severa' when describing feminine things (una regla severa) and add an 's' for plurals (castigos severos).
Position Matters
Placing 'severo' after the person or thing you are describing is the standard way to emphasize the quality of being strict.
False Friend Alert
Mistake: “Using 'severo' for every situation where English uses 'severe'.”
Correction: While 'severo' can mean severe, for medical issues like 'a severe headache', Spanish speakers often prefer 'fuerte' (strong) or 'agudo' (sharp).
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