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How to Say "vile" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “vile” is “asquerosa” — use 'asquerosa' when 'vile' refers to something morally disgusting or extremely unpleasant, often with a visceral, 'gross' connotation..

English → Spanish

asquerosa

/as-keh-RO-sah//askeˈɾosa/

adjectiveB1informal
Use 'asquerosa' when 'vile' refers to something morally disgusting or extremely unpleasant, often with a visceral, 'gross' connotation.
A grumpy child deliberately knocking over a friend's tall tower of wooden blocks.

Examples

Ella fue muy asquerosa conmigo sin motivo.

She was very nasty to me for no reason.

Dijo una mentira asquerosa sobre su amiga.

She told a vile lie about her friend.

Describing People

When you call a woman 'asquerosa', you are usually saying she is a 'nasty person' or has a 'repulsive personality'.

despreciable

/des-pre-SYAH-bleh//despreˈθjaβle/

adjectiveB2
Choose 'despreciable' when 'vile' describes an action or quality that is worthy of contempt or scorn, emphasizing its lack of worth.
A shadowy figure in a dark cloak stealing a small toy from a crying child's hand.

Examples

Mentirle a un amigo es un acto despreciable.

Lying to a friend is a despicable act.

Ese hombre es una persona despreciable por cómo trata a los demás.

That man is a despicable person because of how he treats others.

One size fits all

This word ends in -e, which means it doesn't change whether you are talking about a man or a woman. You can say 'un hombre despreciable' or 'una mujer despreciable'.

Don't confuse with 'depreciable'

Mistake: “Using 'despreciable' when talking about a car losing value.”

Correction: Use 'depreciable' for financial value and 'despreciable' for moral value or tiny amounts.

villano

/bee-YAH-noh//biˈʝano/

adjectiveB2
Use 'villano' when 'vile' describes someone or something with extremely bad character traits, akin to a villain in a story.
A small hand-drawn style illustration of a person hiding a child's toy behind their back with a mean smirk.

Examples

Fue una acción villana que nadie esperaba.

It was a wicked action that nobody expected.

Adjective Agreement

As an adjective (a describing word), 'villano' must match the person or thing it describes. Say 'un hombre villano' but 'una mujer villana'.

canalla

kah-NAH-yah/kaˈnaʎa/

adjectiveC1informal
Employ 'canalla' to describe behavior or a person that is morally corrupt, dishonorable, or mean-spirited, often implying a lack of principles.
A colorful storybook illustration showing a grumpy adult character deliberately kicking over a child's sandcastle on a beach. A small child looks distressed.

Examples

Fue un gesto canalla dejar a su amigo solo en el problema.

It was a despicable gesture to leave his friend alone with the problem.

Su comportamiento canalla en la reunión ofendió a todos.

His vile behavior at the meeting offended everyone.

Adjective Placement

As an adjective, canalla usually follows the noun it describes (un gesto canalla), which is common for adjectives that express strong judgment or quality.

Confusing 'asquerosa' and 'despreciable'

Learners often confuse 'asquerosa' and 'despreciable'. Remember that 'asquerosa' leans towards something physically or morally repulsive ('gross'), while 'despreciable' focuses more on being worthy of contempt or scorn.

Related Translations

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