What does it mean word for word?
The word testarudo is derived from testa, meaning 'head' and the suffix -udo, which indicates an abundance or tendency toward a certain quality.
Which one should you use?
While testarudo is a standard way to express this, terco is a very common synonym that is often used interchangeably in many Spanish-speaking regions. For a more colloquial expression, you can use cabezón, which literally translates to 'big-headed'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, the terms cabezón/cabezona translate to "hard-headed."
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes its ending based on gender and number: use testaruda to describe a female person, and use testarudos when describing a group of men or a mixed-gender group.
How do you pronounce it?
/testaˈɾudo/
Did you know?
- The term cabezón can be used as an affectionate nickname for a child with a physically large head, despite its meaning as 'hard-headed'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone terco can be a compliment when it refers to the persistence needed to achieve a difficult goal.
- The word testarudo originates from the Latin suffix -ūtus, which evolved into the Spanish -udo.
Examples in context
- María es una persona muy terca. No se deja convencer fácilmente.María is a very hard-headed person. She is not easily convinced.
- Mi amigo Juan es muy testarudo. Siempre quiere tener la razón.My friend Juan is very hard-headed. He always wants to be right.
- Mi hermano es muy cabezota. Nunca admite que está equivocado.My brother is very hard-headed. He never admits when he's wrong.
- No seas tan testarudo con tu hermano.Don't be so hard-headed with your brother.
- Es un hombre muy testarudo.He is a very hard-headed man.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are discussing a mutual friend's refusal to listen to advice.
- MateoJuan no quiere escuchar nuestras ideas.Juan does not want to listen to our ideas.
- ElenaEs que Juan es muy testarudo.It's just that Juan is very hard-headed.
- MateoTienes razón, es difícil hablar con él.You are right, it is difficult to talk to him.
- ElenaSí, siempre quiere tener la razón.Yes, he always wants to be right.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry testarudo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries testarudo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
