gruñón
/ɡɾuˈɲon/
The Spanish word for grouchy is gruñón.
The term describes someone who is irritable, easily upset or prone to complaining and anger. If you want to express that someone is in a bad mood using an informal expression, you can use De malas.
Meaning: irritable, easily upset, angry, tending to complain (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word gruñón is derived from the verb gruñir, which means to growl or grumble.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, gruñón must agree with the subject it describes. Use gruñona for a feminine subject and gruñones for a masculine plural subject or a mixed-gender group.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡɾuˈɲon/
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, someone who is gruñón might be called cascarrabias. This term comes from cascar (to break) and rabias (rages), evoking the image of someone whose anger 'cracks' or bursts out.
- The root of gruñón, the verb gruñir, is an onomatopoeia that mimics the actual sound of a low, guttural growl, making the word a phonetic representation of the sound a grumpy person makes.
- In some contexts, calling someone gruñón can be used affectionately for children or pets, similar to calling a child a 'grumpy bear'.
Examples in context
- ¿Por qué está Tom tan gruñón hoy?Why is Tom so grouchy today?This sentence shows how to use gruñón when asking about someone's mood.Tatoeba #1203405 by Shishir, translation #1092104 by CK
- Ella está de mal humor hoyShe is feeling grouchy today.
- Mi jefe está irritable hoyMy boss is grouchy today.
- Estoy de malas hoyI'm feeling grouchy today.
- Estoy de malas hoy porque tuve una mala noche de sueñoI'm feeling grouchy today because I had a rough night's sleep.
- ¿Por qué estás tan irritado esta mañana?Why are you so grouchy this morning?
- Mi abuelo es un hombre gruñón.My grandfather is a grouchy man.
- No seas tan gruñón por la mañana.Don't be so grouchy in the morning.
Example conversation
Maria and Mateo are talking about a coworker.
- MaríaEl jefe está muy gruñón esta mañana.The boss is very grouchy this morning.
- MateoSí, Mateo cree que necesita más café.Yes, Mateo thinks he needs more coffee.
- MaríaSiempre se pone gruñón cuando tiene hambre.He always gets grouchy when he is hungry.
- MateoEs mejor no hablar con él ahora.It is better not to talk to him now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grouchy” translations and entries gruñón, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
