Inklingo

How to Say "unattractive" in Spanish

English → Spanish

feo

FAY-oh/ˈfe.o/

adjectiveA1general
Use 'feo' to describe something or someone that is generally unpleasant to look at, often implying a lack of beauty or aesthetic appeal. It's a common and versatile term for 'ugly'.
A grumpy, warty, green toad sitting alone on a large green lily pad in a pond.

Examples

Ese perro es muy feo, pero tiene un corazón de oro.

That dog is very ugly, but it has a heart of gold.

La casa nueva es moderna, pero la fachada es un poco fea.

The new house is modern, but the facade is a little ugly.

Gender Agreement

Since 'feo' is an adjective, its ending must change to match the gender and number of the noun it describes: 'el chico feo' (masculine singular), 'la mesa fea' (feminine singular), 'los zapatos feos' (masculine plural).

Using Estar vs. Ser

Mistake: “El coche está feo.”

Correction: El coche es feo. Use 'ser' (to be) when describing a permanent or essential characteristic like appearance.

fea

FEH-ah/ˈfe.a/

adjectiveA1general
Use 'fea' when referring to a feminine noun that is unattractive. It carries the same meaning as 'feo' but agrees in gender with the noun it modifies.
A single, centrally placed, green, lumpy, disproportionate monster face with mismatched eyes and warts, illustrating the concept of being ugly.

Examples

La pintura que compró es realmente fea.

The painting she bought is really ugly.

Tuvimos una experiencia muy fea en el viaje.

We had a very nasty/bad experience on the trip.

¡Qué fea está la tormenta!

What a bad storm!

Gender Agreement

'Fea' is the feminine singular form. Remember that adjectives must match the noun they describe: use 'fea' for singular, feminine nouns (like 'chica' or 'mesa').

Placement

Like most Spanish adjectives, 'fea' usually comes immediately after the noun it describes: 'la casa fea' (the ugly house).

Mixing Genders

Mistake: “El perro es fea.”

Correction: El perro es feo. (The dog is masculine, so the adjective must be 'feo'.)

Gender Agreement with 'feo/fea'

The most common mistake learners make is not agreeing the adjective 'feo' with the gender of the noun it describes. Remember that 'feo' is masculine and 'fea' is feminine. Always match the adjective's ending to the noun's gender.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.