rencoroso
/renkoɾoso/from spelling rules
The English phrase "grudge holder" is translated into Spanish as rencoroso.
In informal contexts, you might hear descriptions like No olvida ni perdona to describe someone who doesn't forget or forgive or the figurative expression Llevar la cuenta to suggest someone is keeping score of resentments.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is derived from the noun rencor (grudge or resentment) and the suffix -oso, which means being full of or characterized by something.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes its ending to agree with the subject: use rencorosa for a feminine subject, rencorosos for a group of men or a mixed-gender group and rencorosas for a group consisting only of women.
How do you pronounce it?
{'ipa': '/renkoɾoso/'}
Did you know?
- The root of rencor connects back to the Proto-Indo-European root *h₃ed-, which is also the ancestor of the English word 'eat'.
- While rencoroso describes a personality, if you want to describe a person who is constantly 'nursing' a grudge, you might say they mastican el rencor, literally meaning they 'chew on the resentment'.
- While rencoroso is the direct term, Spanish speakers often use the phrase tener memoria de elefante (to have the memory of an elephant) to describe someone who refuses to forget a past slight.
Examples in context
- No seas tan rencoroso con él.Don't be such a grudge holder with him.
- Él es un hombre muy rencoroso.He is a very grudge-holding man.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a past disagreement between colleagues.
- JavierLuis no me habla desde el año pasado.Luis hasn't spoken to me since last year.
- MaríaEs un poco rencoroso, no te preocupes.He is a bit of a grudge holder, don't worry.
- Javier¿Crees que se le pasará pronto?Do you think he will get over it soon?
- MaríaNo lo creo, siempre es así.I don't think so, he is always like that.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries rencoroso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
