Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| rubio | /ˈrubjo/ | |
| blondo | /ˈblondo/ | |
| royo | /ˈroʝo/ | |
| macho | /ˈmat͡ʃo/ | Costa Rica, colloquial |
The term is used as an adjective to describe someone having blond hair. While rubio can also be used as a noun to refer to a blond person, it is the standard adjective for the hair color itself.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term macho is used colloquially in Costa Rica to mean blond.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Venezuela and parts of the Caribbean, the word catire is commonly used to refer to a blond person. In Spain and some Latin American countries, the term rubio ceniza is used to describe ash-blond hair.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective rubio must agree in gender and number with the person or noun it describes. Use rubia for a feminine subject, rubios for a masculine or mixed-gender group and rubias for a group of females. When used as a noun to mean a fair-haired person, other forms such as canche or catire may be used.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈrubjo/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word rubio actually shares its roots with the word for 'red'. It comes from the Latin 'rubeus', which meant 'reddish' or 'ruddy'.
- The term canche is another noun used in certain regions to refer to a fair-haired person instead of rubio.
Examples in context
- Mi pelo es rubio.My hair is blond.This sentence is useful for describing your own hair color using rubio.Tatoeba #9191618 by ignacio, translation #9190943 by CK
- Mi color de pelo natural es rubio.My natural hair color is blond.This sentence is useful for specifying that your natural hair color is rubio.Tatoeba #10284314 by manufrutos, translation #10282224 by CK
- Ella tenía el cabello largo y rubio.She had long blond hair.This sentence is useful for describing a woman with long, rubio hair.Tatoeba #330009 by Shishir, translation #315852 by TRANG
- Ella es una mujer rubia con ojos azules.She is a blond woman with blue eyes.
- Es un hombre pelirrubio muy atractivo.He is a very attractive blond man.
- La mujer de cabello rubio es una famosa actriz.The blond-haired woman is a famous actress.
- Me gusta cómo le queda el pelo rubio ceniza.I like how the ash-blond hair suits him/her.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are talking about a new coworker.
- Elena¿Quién es el chico nuevo?Who is the new guy?
- AlejandroEs el chico rubio de la oficina.He is the blond guy from the office.
- ElenaAh, ya sé quién es.Ah, I know who he is.
- AlejandroSí, es muy amable.Yes, he is very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “blond” translations and entries rubio, blondo, royo, macho, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries blondo, macho, rubio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
