Inklingo

How to Say "unlike" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “unlike” is “diferente” — use 'diferente' when you want to express that one thing is not the same as another in terms of characteristics, but they can still be compared directly.

English → Spanish

diferente

dee-feh-REN-tehdifeˈɾente

adjectiveA1general
Use 'diferente' when you want to express that one thing is not the same as another in terms of characteristics, but they can still be compared directly.
A row of three identical bright red apples, with a single bright yellow banana placed among them, illustrating the concept of 'not the same'.

Examples

Mi coche es diferente al tuyo.

My car is different from yours.

Ella tiene una perspectiva muy diferente.

She has a very different perspective.

Este sabor es diferente, pero me gusta.

This flavor is different, but I like it.

One Form for Masculine & Feminine

Diferente is easy to use because it doesn't change for masculine or feminine things. It's el coche diferente (the different car) and la casa diferente (the different house). You only add an '-s' for plural things: casas diferentes.

Connecting with 'a' or 'de'

To say 'different from' or 'different to', you can use either diferente a or diferente de. Both are correct and widely used. For example, Mi opinión es diferente a la tuya.

Placement After the Noun

For this meaning ('not the same'), diferente usually comes after the thing it describes. For example, Quiero un teléfono diferente (I want a different phone).

Forgetting the Plural '-s'

Mistake: “Tenemos idea diferentes.”

Correction: Tenemos ideas diferentes. Just like most describing words, you need to add an '-s' when you're talking about more than one thing.

dispar

dees-PARdisˈpaɾ

adjectiveB2general
Use 'dispar' to describe personalities, tastes, or styles that are markedly different and do not align or are incompatible.
A very large elephant standing next to a tiny mouse on a simple green field.

Examples

Los dos hermanos tienen gustos dispares en la música.

The two brothers have different tastes in music.

La crítica tuvo opiniones dispares sobre la nueva obra.

The critics had mixed (unequal) opinions about the new play.

Obtuvieron resultados dispares en las pruebas de laboratorio.

They obtained varying results in the laboratory tests.

One Form for All

This word doesn't change based on gender. Use 'el resultado dispar' for masculine and 'la opinión dispar' for feminine.

Making it Plural

Since it ends in a consonant (r), you just add '-es' to the end to make it plural: 'dispares'.

The 'A' Trap

Mistake: “Using 'dispara' for a feminine noun.”

Correction: Always use 'dispar'. For example, say 'una idea dispar' instead of 'una idea dispara'.

Confusing with Verbs

Mistake: “Thinking 'dispar' is related to shooting.”

Correction: While 'disparar' means 'to shoot,' 'dispar' is an adjective meaning 'unequal.' They are not used in the same way at all!

Diferente vs. Dispar

Learners often confuse 'diferente' and 'dispar' by using 'diferente' for personality clashes. Remember, 'diferente' is for general comparison of dissimilar items, while 'dispar' implies a more significant mismatch, especially in personal preferences or styles.

Related Translations

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