Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| grosero | /ɡɾoˈseɾo/ | |
| rudo | /ˈrudo/ | |
| patasucia | /patasuθja/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /patasusja/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
|
| maleducado | /maleduˈkado/ | |
| cerril | /θeˈril/ /seˈril/ |
colloquial |
| malaclase | /malaklase/ (from spelling rules) |
The Spanish language has several ways to describe bad-mannered behavior depending on the specific nuance of the rudeness. You can use grosero to describe someone being offensive or vulgar, or maleducado to focus on a lack of social etiquette. The term rudo can describe a person who is rude in a coarse or unrefined way, though it is also frequently used to mean rough or tough. If you want to refer to a specific rude remark, swear word or insult, use the noun grosería.
What does it mean word for word?
The word maleducado is composed of mal (bad) and educado (educated), literally meaning bad-educated.
Which one should you use?
While grosero often implies being offensive or vulgar, maleducado specifically focuses on a lack of social manners or etiquette. Additionally, rudo can mean rude in the sense of being coarse, but it is also frequently used to mean rough or tough.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal situations, you can use descortés to emphasize a lack of courtesy or politeness or irrespetuoso/a to describe an individual acting disrespectfully. In colloquial or slang contexts, cerril and patasucia are used, though patasucia is a highly insulting way to describe someone as contemptible. In Spain, the offensive slang expression maleducado/a de cojones can be used to mean rude as hell.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, malcriado/a is commonly used to refer to someone who lacks good manners or behaves rudely.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective grosero must change its ending to grosera when describing a female person or a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡɾoˈseɾo/
Did you know?
- If you call someone a patasucia in a colloquial setting, you are not just calling them rude, but literally 'dirty-footed'.
- The term grosero shares a common ancestor with the English word 'gross'. Both stem from the idea of something being thick, heavy, or coarse.
- The term cerril evokes the image of someone from the countryside who is unrefined, linking rudeness to a lack of urban sophistication.
Examples in context
- No quiero ser rudo.I don't want to be rude.This sentence demonstrates how to express a desire not to be rudo.Tatoeba #4392335 by pchamorro, translation #2033114 by CK
- Eso fue muy grosero.That was very rude.This sentence is used to comment that something was very grosero.Tatoeba #3769346 by hayastan, translation #3410680 by CK
- No quise ser maleducado.I didn't mean to be rude.This sentence shows how to clarify that you did not intend to be maleducado.Tatoeba #5029457 by don_ramon, translation #5029269 by CK
- ¡Qué grosero/a fue su comentario!How rude their comment was!
- Mostrar una actitud descortés es inapropiadoDisplaying a rude attitude is inappropriate
- No seas maleducado/aDon't be rude
- Su comportamiento fue totalmente falto de respetoTheir behavior was completely disrespectful
- Me pareció muy irrespetuoso/a su comentarioI found their comment to be very disrespectful
- No quiero estar cerca de alguien tan patánI don't want to be around someone so rude
- No entiendo cómo puede ser tan chabacanaI don't understand how she can be so rude/vulgar
- No me gusta su actitud tan cortanteI don't like their rude/abrupt attitude
- Fue muy desconsiderado/a no devolverle la llamadaIt was very rude/thoughtless of them not to return the call
- 50 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena tells Alejandro about a bad experience at a restaurant.
- ElenaEl camarero fue muy grosero conmigo.The waiter was very rude to me.
- Alejandro¿Por qué fue tan grosero?Why was he so rude?
- ElenaMe gritó por hacer una pregunta.He yelled at me for asking a question.
- AlejandroQué horror, no es normal ese trato.How awful, that treatment is not normal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rude” translations and entries grosero, rudo, patasucia, maleducado, cerril, malaclase, 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 grosero, maleducado, rudo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
