Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ávido | /ˈabido/ | |
| fiebrudo | /fjebɾudo/ (from spelling rules) | |
| fiebrú | /fjebɾu/ (from spelling rules) | Caribbean, masculine |
| fiebrúa | /fjebɾua/ (from spelling rules) | Caribbean, feminine |
Spanish uses different words depending on whether you are describing a deep, sometimes insatiable desire or a person who is simply obsessed with a new hobby.
Which one should you use?
While ávido means enthusiastic or eager, it often carries a connotation of intense, sometimes insatiable desire or greed in Spanish. In contrast, fiebrudo is a more colloquial way to describe someone who is extremely enthusiastic or obsessed with a new interest.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Ávido is a formal translation for avid. For a more informal way to express strong enthusiasm or an avid interest, you might use loco or loca. Fiebrudo is also a colloquial, informal term.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Caribbean Spanish dialects, you may encounter the shortened, colloquial forms fiebrú (masculine) and fiebrúa (feminine) to describe someone who is enthusiastic or obsessed.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective ávido must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, changing to ávida for feminine nouns. It also changes to ávidos when describing a group of males or a mixed-gender group.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈabido/
Did you know?
- The term fiebrudo literally relates to having a 'fever' (fiebre), but it is used metaphorically to describe the 'feverish' excitement of a new hobby.
- To express being 'avid' about something in a very casual setting, Spanish speakers often use loco, which literally means 'crazy'.
- The word ávido shares a common ancestor with the English word 'avid', both stemming from the Latin 'avidus' meaning 'eager' or 'greedy'.
Examples in context
- Soy un lector ávido de biografías.I'm an avid reader of biographies.This sentence is useful for demonstrating how to use ávido to describe a reader.Tatoeba #539153 by darinmex, translation #539150 by darinmex
- Soy un apasionado de la música clásica.I am an avid classical music enthusiast.
- Es un ávido lector de novelas de misterio.He is an avid reader of mystery novels.
- Soy un fanático de los videojuegos.I am an avid video game fan.
- ¡Está loco por el fútbol!He is avid about soccer!
- Es un ávido buscador de aventuras.He is an avid seeker of adventures.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are talking about a new book enthusiast at work.
- Alejandro¿Conoces al nuevo empleado?Do you know the new employee?
- SofíaSí, es un ávido lector de ciencia ficción.Yes, he is an avid science fiction reader.
- AlejandroEso suena muy interesante.That sounds very interesting.
- SofíaA él le encanta ese género.He loves that genre.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “avid” translations and entries ávido, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ávido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
