Inklingo

How to Say "unjust" in Spanish

English → Spanish

injusto

een-HOO-stohinˈxusto

AdjectiveA2General
Use 'injusto' when referring to something that is morally unfair or inequitable, often in personal situations or general discussions about fairness.
A colorful storybook illustration showing two children sitting side-by-side. One child has a huge slice of chocolate cake, while the other child has only a tiny, minuscule crumb of cake, depicting unequal distribution.

Examples

Pienso que es injusto que solo yo tenga que limpiar la cocina.

I think it's unfair that only I have to clean the kitchen.

El castigo fue injusto porque él no había hecho nada malo.

The punishment was unjust because he hadn't done anything wrong.

La ley parece injusta para los ciudadanos más pobres.

The law seems unfair to the poorest citizens.

Changing the Ending

Like most Spanish adjectives, 'injusto' changes its ending to match the thing it describes. Use 'injusta' for feminine words (la regla injusta) and add 's' for plural (los castigos injustos).

arbitrario

ar-bee-TRAH-ryohaɾβiˈtɾaɾjo

AdjectiveB2Formal
Choose 'arbitrario' when describing actions or decisions that are based on personal whim or caprice rather than reason or fairness, especially those made by someone in authority.
A child with eyes closed reaching into a large glass jar filled with different colored balls to pick one at random.

Examples

La decisión del jefe pareció muy arbitraria.

The boss's decision seemed very arbitrary.

No podemos elegir a los ganadores de forma arbitraria.

We cannot choose the winners in a random way.

El abogado denunció la detención arbitraria de su cliente.

The lawyer denounced the arbitrary detention of his client.

Matching the Noun

This word must change its ending to match what you are describing. Use 'arbitrario' for masculine things (el proceso) and 'arbitraria' for feminine things (la regla).

Placement Matters

In Spanish, putting this word after the noun makes it sound more objective and descriptive, which is the standard way to use it.

The 'Referee' Confusion

Mistake: “Thinking it means 'fair' because 'árbitro' means 'referee'.”

Correction: While they share a root, 'arbitrario' actually describes someone acting as their own judge without following rules, so it usually means 'unfair' or 'random'.

Choosing Between 'Injusto' and 'Arbitrario'

The most common mistake is using 'arbitrario' for general unfairness. Remember, 'injusto' is for moral unfairness (like an unfair rule), while 'arbitrario' specifically implies a lack of objective reason or a high-handed decision.

Related Translations

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