Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| marginado | /maɾxiˈnado/ | masculine |
| persona de fuera | /peɾsona de fweɾa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| outsider | /autˈsaideɾ/ | feminine, masculine |
| afuereño | /afweˈɾeɲo/ | masculine |
| fuereño | /fweˈɾeɲo/ | masculine |
The term for 'outsider' varies significantly based on whether you mean someone who is socially excluded, someone from a different town or an uninvited guest. In business or academic environments, Spanish speakers frequently use the anglicism outsider to refer to someone outside a specific circle or industry. If you are describing someone who is uninvited or unwelcome, the colloquial term colado/a is used.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word changes the connotation of the sentence. Persona de fuera is a neutral way to describe someone who is not part of a specific group. In contrast, marginado carries a strong negative connotation, implying that the person is socially or economically marginalized or oppressed. While outsider can be neutral, marginado focuses on the state of being excluded from society.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain and certain Latin American countries like Mexico and Colombia, the term forastero/a is commonly used. In parts of Mexico and Central America, fuereño is a frequent term used to refer to someone from another town or region.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form marginado must change to the feminine form marginada when referring to a female outsider.
How do you pronounce it?
/maɾxiˈnado/
Did you know?
- In some contexts, an 'outsider' who has sneaked into an event without an invitation is called a colado, which comes from the verb for 'straining' or 'filtering'.
- The word fuera in the phrase persona de fuera shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the English word 'door'.
- While marginado is used for an outsider, it is literally the past participle of the verb marginar, which means to push someone to the margins.
Examples in context
- No me considero un extranjero, sino un ciudadano del mundoI don't consider myself an outsider, but a citizen of the world
- El invitado se sentía ajeno entre tanta familiaridadThe guest felt like an outsider amid so much familiarity
- No te preocupes, somos amigables con los forasterosDon't worry, we're friendly to outsiders
- No me gusta cuando algún colado se une a nuestra conversaciónI don't like it when an outsider jumps into our conversation
- Siempre me siento como un extranjero cuando visito una nueva ciudadI always feel like an outsider when I visit a new city
- Él se siente como un marginado en su propio trabajo.He feels like an outsider in his own job.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are discussing a new colleague at work.
- LucíaEl nuevo colega parece sentirse un marginado.The new colleague seems to feel like an outsider.
- JavierSí, nadie lo ha invitado a almorzar.Yes, nobody has invited him to lunch.
- LucíaDeberíamos ayudarlo para que no sea el marginado.We should help him so he isn't the outsider.
- JavierTienes razón, Lucía. Lo haré mañana.You are right, Lucia. I will do it tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “outsider” translations and entries marginado, outsider, afuereño, fuereño, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries afuereño, de, fuera, marginado, outsider, persona, CC BY-SA 4.0.
