grueso
/ˈɡɾweso/
The English phrase 'chunky' can be translated into Spanish as grueso.
The term grueso is used as a euphemism for fat.
Meaning: euphemism for fat (adj)
Which one should you use?
While grueso is a general euphemism, other terms provide more specific nuances: regordete/a describes someone who is chubby or plump, rechoncho/a describes someone or something that is short and plump and choncho/a is a colloquial way to say someone is chunky.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Venezuela, the words panzón/panzona are used to describe someone as chunky, specifically referring to someone with a big belly.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡɾweso/
Did you know?
- The English word 'gross' is a distant relative of grueso, as both originate from the Latin grossus, meaning 'thick' or 'coarse'.
- In Spanish, the word grueso can describe a 'thick' accent or a 'deep' voice, moving far beyond physical size.
- While grueso can describe a person, it is much more commonly used to describe the physical thickness of inanimate objects like a rope or a piece of wood.
Examples in context
- La niña tiene cachetes gorditos.The girl has chubby cheeks.
- El bebé es muy gordito.The baby is very chunky.
- Mi hermana tiene un perro regordete.My sister has a chubby dog.
- El bebé es rechoncho pero adorable.The baby is chubby but adorable.
- Ese señor es bien choncho, ¿no?That man is really chunky, isn't he?
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are looking at a photo of a puppy.
- AlejandroMira este perrito, es muy grueso.Look at this puppy, he is very chunky.
- SofíaSí, se ve muy tierno así.Yes, he looks very cute like that.
- AlejandroParece una pequeña pelota.He looks like a little ball.
- SofíaEs el perro más grueso que he visto.He is the chunkiest dog I have ever seen.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry grueso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries grueso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
