How to Say "unreal" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “unreal” is “irreal” — use 'irreal' when describing something that does not exist in reality, often referring to a surprising or unbelievable sight or situation.
Use 'irreal' when describing something that does not exist in reality, often referring to a surprising or unbelievable sight or situation.
Learn more →Use 'fantástica' when referring to something that belongs to the realm of fantasy or imagination, often implying something wonderful or magical.
Learn more →ee-rray-ahli.reˈal
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
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
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.