How to Say "vain" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “vain” is “vano” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Todos sus ruegos fueron vanos.
All his pleas were futile/useless.
Trabajamos en vano, el proyecto fue cancelado.
We worked in vain (for nothing), the project was cancelled.
Gender and Number Match
Like most Spanish adjectives, 'vano' must change its ending to match the thing it describes. Use 'vano' for masculine singular nouns (el esfuerzo vano), 'vana' for feminine singular (la esperanza vana), 'vanos' for masculine plural, and 'vanas' for feminine plural.
Using 'vano' instead of 'vacío'
Mistake: “La caja es vana.”
Correction: La caja está vacía. ('Vano' describes lack of result or purpose, not physical emptiness. Use 'vacío' for something physically empty.)
Other Meanings of “vano”
Related Translations
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