How to Say "stiff" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “stiff” is “dura” — use 'dura' when referring to something that is physically hard or unyielding to the touch, like a surface or an object.
dura
DOO-rahˈdu.ɾa
Examples
La madera vieja se pone muy dura.
Old wood gets very hard.
La mesa de madera es muy dura.
The wooden table is very hard.
Tuvo una vida dura después de la guerra.
She had a tough life after the war.
La respuesta de la jefa fue muy dura.
The boss's response was very harsh.
Matching the Ending
Remember that 'dura' is the feminine form. You must use 'dura' when describing a female person or a feminine Spanish noun (like 'la vida' or 'la mesa'). Use 'duro' for masculine nouns.
rígido
Examples
Después de correr, mis músculos se sienten rígidos.
After running, my muscles feel stiff.
estirado
es-tee-rah-dohestiˈɾaðo
Examples
Su actitud estirada me incomoda.
His stuck-up attitude makes me uncomfortable.
No me cae bien el nuevo jefe, es un poco estirado.
I don't like the new boss; he's a bit stuck-up.
A pesar de ser rica, ella no es nada estirada.
Despite being rich, she isn't stuck-up at all.
Eran tan estirados que ni siquiera nos saludaron.
They were so snooty they didn't even say hello to us.
Use with 'ser' vs 'estar'
Use 'ser' if you are describing someone's permanent personality (He is a snooty person). Use 'estar' if they are just acting that way today.
Thinking it means 'long'
Mistake: “El camino es estirado.”
Correction: El camino es largo. Use 'estirado' for things that were pulled tight or for people's attitudes, not for distance.
Physical vs. Personality Stiffness
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