Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bandera roja | /bandeɾa ɾoxa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| señal de alarma | /seɲal de alaɾma/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
Both terms describe a cue, warning or alert that indicates something is wrong. While one is a direct translation of the English idiom, the other is a more traditional way to describe a warning sign or symptom of a problem.
Which one should you use?
Use bandera roja when referring to a literal, physical red flag or when using the English-style metaphor for a warning sign. Use señal de alarma to describe a metaphorical warning sign or a symptom of a problem, as this sounds more natural in many Spanish-speaking contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural of bandera roja, you must make both the noun and the adjective feminine and plural: banderas rojas. For señal de alarma, only the noun señal changes to the plural form, resulting in señales de alarma.
How do you pronounce it?
/bandeɾa ɾoxa/
Did you know?
- The word alarma comes from the Italian phrase all'arme, which literally means 'to arms'.
- If you use the phrase bandera roja in a modern context, it is often perceived as an anglicism, a direct borrowing from English idiom.
Examples in context
- La bandera roja indicaba la presencia de un peligro.The red flag indicated the presence of danger.This sentence shows how bandera roja is used to indicate danger.Tatoeba #449883 by Shishir, translation #272427 by CM
- Existen varias banderas rojas que debemos tener en cuentaThere are several red flags we must take into account
- La falta de transparencia es una señal de alarmaThe lack of transparency is a red flag
- La disminución de ventas es un indicador de riesgoThe decrease in sales is a red flag
- Su falta de puntualidad es una bandera roja.His lack of punctuality is a red flag.
- Esa actitud es una bandera roja para mí.That attitude is a red flag for me.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are discussing a person they recently met.
- Sofía¿Viste cómo le hablaba a la camarera?Did you see how he spoke to the waitress?
- AlejandroSí, para mí fue una bandera roja.Yes, to me it was a red flag.
- SofíaÉl es un hombre muy arrogante.He is a very arrogant man.
- AlejandroTienes razón, Sofía, es una mala señal.You are right, Sofía, it is a bad sign.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “red flag” translations, 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 alarma, bandera, de, roja, señal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
