Inklingo

How to Say "unlucky" in Spanish

English → Spanish

desafortunado

de-sah-for-too-NAH-dohdesafortuˈnaðo

adjectiveB1general
Use this word for a general lack of good fortune or bad luck in life, often implying a pitying tone.
A person holding a broken umbrella in the rain while a small dark cloud hovers only over them.

Examples

Él es un hombre desafortunado en el juego, pero afortunado en el amor.

He is an unlucky man in gambling, but lucky in love.

Fue un encuentro desafortunado que cambió sus planes.

It was an unfortunate encounter that changed her plans.

Matching the word

This word changes its ending to match the person or thing you are describing. Use 'desafortunado' for masculine nouns and 'desafortunada' for feminine nouns.

The 'Un-' Trap

Mistake: “unfortunado”

Correction: desafortunado

desgraciados

dess-gra-syah-dohssdesɣɾaˈsjaðos

adjectiveB1general
This term describes people who are suffering from extreme misfortune or have experienced a terrible loss, often evoking strong sympathy.
A person standing in the rain with a broken umbrella, looking unlucky.

Examples

Los pobres desgraciados perdieron su casa en la tormenta.

The poor unfortunate souls lost their house in the storm.

Son unos hombres desgraciados que no tienen dónde vivir.

They are unlucky men who have nowhere to live.

Adjectives as Nouns

In Spanish, you can turn this describing word into a name for a group of people just by adding 'the' (los) or 'some' (unos) in front.

salado

sah-LAH-dohsaˈlaðo

adjectiveB1informal, LatAm
Use this informal term, especially in Latin America, to describe someone who is jinxed or seems to consistently bring bad luck, sometimes playfully.
A cheerful person laughing heartily while pointing to a funny drawing of a cat.

Examples

¡Qué niño tan salado! Me hace mucha gracia.

What a witty kid! He's so funny.

Hoy estoy salado, he perdido las llaves dos veces.

I'm unlucky today; I've lost my keys twice.

Es un hombre muy salado y siempre cuenta chistes.

He is a very charming man and always tells jokes.

Ser vs Estar for People

Use 'ser salado' for a witty personality. Use 'estar salado' (in LatAm) to mean you are currently experiencing a streak of bad luck.

Regional Confusion

Mistake: “Telling a Latin American they are 'salado' as a compliment.”

Correction: In many Latin American countries, this implies they are unlucky. Use 'gracioso' to be safe across all regions.

torcido

tor-SEE-dohtoɾˈθiðo

adjectiveB2general
This word implies a fate that is difficult, 'bent,' or morally questionable, often referring to a person's past or destiny.
A person in a suit hiding a bag of gold coins behind their back while shaking hands.

Examples

Ese político tiene un pasado muy torcido.

That politician has a very crooked past.

Todo el plan se salió torcido desde el principio.

The whole plan went wrong from the start.

A veces la vida te da un camino torcido.

Sometimes life gives you a difficult/unlucky path.

General vs. Specific Bad Luck

Learners often confuse 'desafortunado' and 'salado'. 'Desafortunado' is a more general term for bad luck or misfortune, while 'salado' specifically implies being jinxed or cursed, often in a more informal context.

Related Translations

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