B2 · 50 words
Exact adjectives in Spanish
The words that replace « interesting » and « odd ».
Un chapucero is somebody who does a job badly, and the noun behind it is la chapuza: a botched piece of work — and, in the plural, the small odd jobs around a house. Hacer chapuzas los fines de semana is doing bits and pieces at weekends, with no insult in it at all. The two senses sit next to each other for a reason: a chapuza is quick work, and quick work is often bad work. English keeps them apart completely — a bodge and an odd job have nothing to do with one another — and it has no everyday adjective for the person. Un arreglo chapucero is a repair somebody will have to do again.
The words
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Adjective (48)
acertadowell judged, the right callAdjectiveB2
Fue una decisión acertada.It was a well judged decision.
discutibleopen to argumentAdjectiveB2
El método es discutible.The method is open to argument.
rotundoflat and final, leaving no cornerAdjectiveB2
La respuesta fue rotunda.The answer was flat and final.
tajantecurt and final, cutting off argumentAdjectiveB2
Se puso tajante enseguida.He turned curt straight away.
ambiguoable to be read two waysAdjectiveB2
El texto es ambiguo a propósito.The text can be read two ways on purpose.
escuetobare, saying no more than neededAdjectiveB2
Mandó un correo escueto.He sent a bare e-mail.
minuciosopainstaking down to the last detailAdjectiveB2
Hizo un trabajo minucioso.She did a painstaking piece of work.
exhaustivocovering every last detailAdjectiveB2
El informe es exhaustivo y por eso nadie lo lee.The report covers every last detail, which is why nobody reads it.
someroskimming the surface onlyAdjectiveB2
Hizo un repaso somero.He did a run-through that skimmed the surface.
sólidosolid, standing up to pushingAdjectiveB2
Es un argumento sólido.It is a solid argument.
frágileasily brokenAdjectiveB2
El acuerdo es frágil.The agreement is easily broken.
endebleflimsy, easily broken throughAdjectiveB2
La prueba es endeble.The evidence is flimsy.
contundentehitting hard, leaving nothing to sayAdjectiveB2
Los datos son contundentes.The figures hit hard.
llamativocatching the eyeAdjectiveB2
Es un detalle llamativo.It is a detail that catches the eye.
discretonot drawing attentionAdjectiveB2
Prefiere un sitio discreto.She prefers somewhere that does not draw attention.
sobrioplain, drawing no attentionAdjectiveB2
El diseño es sobrio.The design is plain.
recargadooverloaded with ornamentAdjectiveB2
El estilo es recargado.The style is overloaded with ornament.
coherentehanging togetherAdjectiveB2
La explicación es coherente.The explanation hangs together.
contradictoriosaying two opposite thingsAdjectiveB2
El testimonio es contradictorio.The statement says two opposite things.
previsibleable to be seen comingAdjectiveB2
El final es previsible.The ending can be seen coming.
imprevisiblenever to be seen comingAdjectiveB2
El tiempo es imprevisible aquí.The weather here is never to be seen coming.
insólitounheard ofAdjectiveB2
Fue un caso insólito.It was an unheard-of case.
cotidianohappening every dayAdjectiveB2
Es un problema cotidiano.It is a problem that happens every day.
aisladohappening only once, on its ownAdjectiveB2
Fue un fallo aislado.It was a fault that happened only once.
generalizadohappening everywhere at onceAdjectiveB2
El retraso fue generalizado.The delay was happening everywhere at once.
marginalsmall enough to ignoreAdjectiveB2
Fue una mejora marginal.It was an improvement small enough to ignore.
notablebig enough to noticeAdjectiveB2
Hubo una subida notable.There was a rise big enough to notice.
drásticodrastic, cutting deepAdjectiveB2
Tomaron una medida drástica.They took a drastic measure.
inminenteabout to happen at any momentAdjectiveB2
El cierre es inminente.The closure is about to happen at any moment.
obsoletopast its usefulnessAdjectiveB2
El equipo está obsoleto.The equipment is past its usefulness.
imprescindiblenot possible to do withoutAdjectiveB2
El paso segundo es imprescindible.The second step is not possible to do without.
prescindiblepossible to do withoutAdjectiveB2
Ese apartado es prescindible.That section is possible to do without.
adecuadoright for the situationAdjectiveB2
No es el tono adecuado.It is not the right tone for the situation.
desproporcionadofar bigger than the causeAdjectiveB2
La reacción fue desproporcionada.The reaction was far bigger than the cause.
viableable to be doneAdjectiveB2
La propuesta es viable con más tiempo.The proposal is able to be done with more time.
inviablenot able to be doneAdjectiveB2
Es inviable con este presupuesto.It is not able to be done on this budget.
rentablepaying its wayAdjectiveB2
La ruta dejó de ser rentable.The route stopped paying its way.
costosoexpensive in money or in timeAdjectiveB2
Es un proceso costoso en tiempo.It is a process that is expensive in time.
exigentedemanding of whoever takes it onAdjectiveB2
Es un curso exigente.It is a course that is demanding of whoever takes it on.
accesibleeasy to get into without being simpleAdjectiveB2
El texto es accesible sin ser simple.The text is easy to get into without being simple.
impecablewithout a single faultAdjectiveB2
La organización fue impecable.The organisation was without a single fault.
deficientefalling short of what it should beAdjectiveB2
La señalización es deficiente.The signing falls short of what it should be.
esmeradodone with visible care, without a faultAdjectiveB2
Hizo un trabajo esmerado.She did the work with visible care.
chapucerodone badly and in a hurryAdjectiveB2
Fue un arreglo chapucero.It was a repair done badly and in a hurry.
fiableable to be relied onAdjectiveB2
Es una fuente fiable.It is a source that can be relied on.
dudosoopen to doubtAdjectiveB2
El origen del dato es dudoso.The origin of the figure is open to doubt.
sesgadotilted to one sideAdjectiveB2
El resumen está sesgado.The summary is tilted to one side.
matizadoshaded, with the qualifications put backAdjectiveB2
Dio una respuesta matizada.He gave a shaded answer.
Phrase (2)
paulatino en el tiempospread out over timePhraseB2
Fue un cambio paulatino en el tiempo.It was a change spread out over time.
en vigorin forcePhraseB2
La norma en vigor es de 2019.The rule in force dates from 2019.
This list belongs to Basic words: numbers, time, verbs — 21 lists and 1073 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.