pelirrojo
/peliˈroxo/
In Spanish, red head is pelirrojo.
The term is used to describe a person with naturally red hair. In Spanish, it functions as both a noun (a redhead) and an adjective (a red-haired person).
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of pelo, meaning hair and rojo, meaning red.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word must agree in gender and number with the person or people being described. Use the masculine pelirrojo for a male and the feminine pelirroja for a female. For plural forms, use pelirrojos for a group of males or a mixed group and pelirrojas for a group consisting only of females.
How do you pronounce it?
/peliˈroxo/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, having red hair is sometimes associated with a 'temperamental' personality. This is not a grammatical rule, but a common cultural stereotype often reflected in literature and conversation.
- The term canelo is a common colloquialism for someone with reddish hair, derived from the word for 'cinnamon'.
- While pelirrojo is the standard term, some speakers in Latin America use colorado to describe redheads. In these regions, colorado means 'red-haired' rather than just the general color 'red'.
Examples in context
- Tengo un compañero de trabajo pelirrojo.I have a red-headed colleague.
- Admiré su cabello rojo desde lejos.I admired her red hair from afar.
- ¡Mira a ese pelirrojito tan simpático!Look at that adorable red-headed boy!
- Mi hermano es pelirrojo.My brother is a redhead.
- Ese pelirrojo es un actor muy famoso.That redhead is a very famous actor.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are talking about a new colleague at work.
- LucíaVi a un chico nuevo en la oficina.I saw a new guy in the office.
- Javier¿Era el pelirrojo que trabaja en recepción?Was it the redhead who works at the reception?
- LucíaSí, es un pelirrojo muy simpático.Yes, he is a very nice redhead.
- JavierAh, ya sé de quién hablas.Ah, I know who you are talking about.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pelirrojo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
