seco
/ˈseko/
The Spanish word for dry is seco.
seco is used to describe things that are free from liquid or moisture. This applies to physical objects, such as a river or a well, but it can also be used when referring to alcoholic beverages. Figuratively, seco can describe a person's personality as being 'dry' or 'curt'.
Meaning: free from liquid or moisture (adj)
Which one should you use?
While seco means 'dry' (free from moisture), it can also be used figuratively to describe a person's personality as 'dry' or 'curt'. In these cases of temperament, the form used is seco for a man and seca for a woman.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective seco must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, becoming seca for feminine nouns. The adjective seco must agree in number with the noun it modifies, using the forms secos for masculine plural and secas for feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈseko/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking contexts, calling a person un seco can be a way to describe someone who is extremely talented or 'clutch' in a specific skill, particularly in sports, though this is highly colloquial.
- In some Spanish speaking countries, the phrase estoy seco is used as slang to mean 'I am broke' or have no money.
- In some dialects, the expression quedarse seco can mean to be stunned or left speechless by a shock.
Examples in context
- El río está seco.The river is dry.This sentence shows how to describe a river that is dry using seco.Tatoeba #7128727 by arh, translation #11038749 by sundown
- El pozo está seco.The well is dry.This sentence shows how to describe a well that is dry using seco.Tatoeba #1455990 by Shishir, translation #49620 by Dejo
- Ya está todo seco.Everything's dry now.This sentence shows how to state that everything is dry using seco.Tatoeba #13585976 by Seael, translation #13603893 by rul
- El clima está muy secoThe weather is very dry
- La toalla está secaThe towel is dry
- La región es áridaThe region is dry
- El suelo del desierto es áridoThe desert soil is dry
- La fruta se ha desecadoThe fruit has dried up
- El desierto está completamente desecadoThe desert is completely dried out
- Mi garganta está secaMy throat is dry
- El pan está secoThe bread is dry
- Me gusta el vino secoI like dry wine
- El vodka es una bebida secaVodka is a dry drink
- Después de correr, mi ropa está secaAfter running, my clothes are dry
- El desierto es un lugar muy áridoThe desert is a very dry place
- Estoy confundido, tengo la boca secaI'm confused, I have a dry mouth
- Mis plantas están marchitas por la tierra secaMy plants are withered due to the dry soil
- El árido paisajeThe arid landscape
- Las toallas están secasThe towels are dry
- 40 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are checking the laundry in the yard.
- Sofía¿Está seca la ropa, Daniel?Is the clothing dry, Daniel?
- DanielNo, todavía está un poco húmeda.No, it is still a little damp.
- SofíaQué mal, el aire está muy seco hoy.That's too bad, the air is very dry today.
- DanielSí, pero la ropa tardará más.Yes, but the clothes will take longer.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dry” translations and entries seco, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
