gracioso
/ɡɾaˈθjoso/
The English phrase 'amusing' is translated into Spanish as gracioso. Wiktionary also lists desopilante.
Meaning: funny (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| gracioso | /ɡɾaˈθjoso/ /ɡɾaˈsjoso/ |
| desopilante | /desopiˈlante/ |
gracioso is used to mean funny or amusing. You can use it to describe a specific situation, a joke or a person's sense of humor.
Which one should you use?
While gracioso means amusing or funny, desopilante is a much stronger term used for something that is laugh-out-loud hilarious or side-splitting.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective gracioso must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, changing to graciosa for feminine nouns. The adjective gracioso takes the plural form graciosos when modifying masculine or mixed-gender plural nouns. The adjective gracioso takes the plural form graciosas when modifying feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡɾaˈθjoso/
Did you know?
- The word desopilante is a physical metaphor, deriving from the Latin term for unblocking a pipe or a column. It describes laughter so intense that it feels as though it is clearing a blockage in your chest.
- In certain regions, calling a child or a small object gracioso does not mean they are funny, but rather that they are 'pretty' or 'graceful'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone gracioso can be a double-edged sword. Depending on the tone, it can be a compliment for their humor or a subtle way to call someone 'cheeky' or 'smart-aleck' if they are being impudent.
Examples in context
- Tom fue gracioso.Tom was amusing.This sentence shows how to use gracioso to describe a person.Tatoeba #5883221 by albrusgher, translation #3334041 by CK
- El discurso fue muy divertidoThe speech was very amusing
- La película fue muy entretenidaThe movie was very amusing
- El chiste que contó fue muy graciosoThe joke he told was very amusing
- El video que vimos fue muy chistosoThe video we watched was very amusing
- Esa comedia fue muy graciosaThat comedy was very amusing
- ¡Qué chistoso fue ese espectáculo de comedia!How amusing was that comedy show!
- El perro es muy gracioso.The dog is very funny.
- Ese chiste no fue tan gracioso.That joke wasn't that funny.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are watching a comedy show on TV.
- Alejandro¿Te parece gracioso este programa?Do you find this show funny?
- LucíaSí, Alejandro, es muy gracioso.Yes, Alejandro, it is very funny.
- AlejandroA mí me encanta el actor principal.I love the lead actor.
- LucíaÉl tiene un estilo muy gracioso.He has a very funny style.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “amusing” translations and entries gracioso, desopilante, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries desopilante, gracioso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
