rico
/ˈriko/
The Spanish word for rich is rico. Wiktionary also lists pesudo.
Meaning: having wealth (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| rico | /ˈriko/ |
| pesudo | /pesudo/ (from spelling rules) |
The word is used to describe someone who possesses wealth. It is important to note that when describing food, rico or rica means 'delicious' rather than 'wealthy'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. Use rica for feminine nouns, ricos for masculine plural nouns and ricas for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈriko/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, describing a person as rico can occasionally be a slang way to say they are 'attractive' or 'sexy', depending on the tone and context.
- The word rico shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'king'. Both come from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₃rḗǵs, which referred to someone who rules or leads.
- In certain regions, saying ¡Qué rico! is a common reaction to a pleasant smell, a soft fabric or a nice breeze, not just to food.
Examples in context
- Yo ya soy rico.I'm already rich.This sentence shows how to express that you are already rich using rico.Tatoeba #2110822 by marcelostockle, translation #1890963 by CK
- Tom es muy rico.Tom is very rich.This sentence shows how to describe someone as very rich using rico.Tatoeba #3672824 by Seael, translation #3410766 by CK
- Sé que eres rico.I know you are rich.This sentence shows how to state your knowledge that someone else is rich using rico.Tatoeba #1319972 by Shishir, translation #17881 by CK
- Él es un hombre acaudaladoHe is a rich man.
- Es una familia adineradaIt is a rich family.
- ¡Ese hombre tiene tanto dinero, es millonario!That man has so much money, he's rich!
- Esa familia es bien ricachonaThat family is really rich!
- 337 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are talking about a successful businessman.
- SofíaMira ese coche, el dueño debe ser muy rico.Look at that car, the owner must be very rich.
- AlejandroSí, tiene casas en tres ciudades diferentes.Yes, he has houses in three different cities.
- Sofía¿Tú quieres ser rico algún día, Alejandro?Do you want to be rich one day, Alejandro?
- AlejandroNo me importa el dinero, prefiero ser feliz.I don't care about money, I prefer to be happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rich” translations and entries rico, 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 rico, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
