sangriento
/sanˈɡɾjento/
The English word 'bloody' translates to sangriento in Spanish.
In Spanish, sangriento is used in its literal sense to describe something involving actual blood or a massacre. It is not used as an informal intensifier to add emphasis to an adjective as the English word 'bloody' is.
Meaning: intensifier (adj)
Which one should you use?
While English speakers might use 'bloody' as an intensifier, the Spanish term sangriento is almost exclusively reserved for literal descriptions of violence or blood.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective sangriento must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, changing to sangrienta for feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/sanˈɡɾjento/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use sangriento to intensify an adjective. If you want to say something is 'very' or 'incredibly' something, use words like muy instead of a word related to blood.
Did you know?
- While sangriento describes a massacre, Spanish speakers use the word sangre in the phrase sangre fría to describe someone who is cold-blooded or ruthless.
- A Spanish speaker might use the word sangre to refer to family lineage, but using sangriento would never imply 'family-related' as it would imply 'violent'.
- In Spanish, describing a fight as sangriento is a common journalistic trope in sports headlines, particularly in boxing or MMA, to attract readers.
Examples in context
- Es un maldito desastreIt's a bloody disaster
- ¡Maldita sea! ¡Justo se me cayó el café!Bloody hell! I just spilled my coffee!
- ¡Estoy harto/a de esta maldita situación!I'm bloody fed up with this situation!
- Esta jodida película no tiene sentido.This bloody movie makes no sense.
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are stuck in a traffic jam.
- MaríaMira este sangriento tráfico.Look at this bloody traffic.
- AlejandroLlegaremos tarde a la cena.We will be late for dinner.
- MaríaSiempre pasa lo mismo aquí.The same thing always happens here.
- AlejandroTén paciencia, María.Have patience, María.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sangriento, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
