Inklingo

How to Say "unreal" in Spanish

English → Spanish

irreal

/ee-rray-ahl//i.reˈal/

adjectiveB1
Use 'irreal' when describing something that does not exist in reality, often referring to a surprising or unbelievable sight or situation.
A floating island with a glowing purple tree and pink clouds in a starry sky.

Examples

El paisaje de ese planeta era totalmente irreal.

The landscape of that planet was totally unreal.

A veces tengo sueños que parecen muy reales, pero son irreales.

Sometimes I have dreams that seem very real, but they are unreal.

Vivimos en un mundo irreal creado por las redes sociales.

We live in an unreal world created by social media.

One form for everyone

This word doesn't change based on whether the thing you are describing is masculine or feminine. It always ends in 'l'.

Making it plural

To talk about more than one thing, simply add 'es' to the end to make it 'irreales'.

The 'i' vs 'un' prefix

Mistake: “Using 'unreal' or 'anreal' in Spanish.”

Correction: Always use 'irreal'. In Spanish, we often use 'ir-' before words starting with 'r' to mean 'not'.

fantástica

adjectiveB1
Use 'fantástica' when referring to something that belongs to the realm of fantasy or imagination, often implying something wonderful or magical.

Examples

Ella prefiere la literatura fantástica a la histórica.

She prefers fantastic literature (fantasy literature) over historical literature.

Choosing Between 'Irreal' and 'Fantástica'

Learners often confuse 'irreal' and 'fantástica' because both relate to 'unreal'. Remember that 'irreal' focuses on things that are not factually real or seem unbelievable, while 'fantástica' points to things that are products of imagination or fantasy.

Related Translations

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