Inklingo

How to Say "stinks" in Spanish

The Spanish word forstinksis apestaA2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishA2
Verb (Conjugation)A2
smells foul
A rusty, overflowing metal garbage can sitting outside on a sunny day, emitting thick, swirling green clouds to represent a foul odor.

Examples

¡Qué asco! El contenedor de reciclaje apesta.

Gross! The recycling bin stinks.

Mi perro se revolcó en el barro y ahora apesta a humedad.

My dog rolled in the mud and now he smells foul (stinks) of dampness.

Focus on the 'It' Subject

When describing a bad smell, you often use 'apesta' because the subject is usually an object or location (the trash, the room, the food) which uses the 'él/ella/usted' form.

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.