Inklingo

How to Say "suited" in Spanish

English → Spanish

quedaba

keh-DAH-bah/keˈðaβa/

verbB1
Use this when describing how an item of clothing or accessory looked on someone, implying it complemented their appearance well.
A small, simple character wearing an extremely large, bright red sweater that is many sizes too big. The sleeves dangle far past their fingertips, showing that the clothing did not fit correctly.

Examples

El traje le quedaba perfecto.

The suit suited him perfectly.

El sombrero le quedaba muy bien con su traje azul.

The hat looked very good (suited him/her) with his blue suit.

La ropa de niño me quedaba pequeña cuando tenía diez años.

The children's clothes fit me small when I was ten years old.

Use with 'Le' or 'Me'

When talking about how clothes fit, you almost always need an indirect pronoun: 'Me quedaba' (it fit me), 'Le quedaba' (it fit him/her). The subject is the clothing, not the person!

hecha

AY-chah/ˈe.tʃa/

adjectiveB1
Use this metaphorically to describe someone or something as being perfectly prepared or destined for a specific role or task.
A freshly manufactured wooden toy car resting on a wooden workbench next to small wood shavings, emphasizing it was recently composed or manufactured.

Examples

Ella está hecha para ser líder.

She is suited to be a leader.

Esta escultura está hecha de arcilla roja.

This sculpture is made of red clay.

Ella parece una persona hecha para la aventura.

She seems like a person made/suited for adventure.

Describing Material

Use 'hecha de [material]' to explain what a feminine item is constructed from, just like in English 'made of'.

quedó

verbA2
Use this to describe how an item of clothing fit someone, often focusing on the size or overall look, which might not necessarily be flattering.

Examples

La camisa le quedó muy ajustada.

The shirt suited him (fit him) very tightly.

Appearance vs. Preparation

Learners often confuse 'quedaba'/'quedó' (appearance/fit) with 'hecha' (prepared/destined). Remember that 'hecha' is for suitability in a role or purpose, while 'quedaba' and 'quedó' relate to how clothing looks or fits on a person.

Related Translations

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