egoísta
/eɡoˈista/
The English word 'selfish' is translated into Spanish as egoísta.
Egoísta is an adjective used to describe someone who has regard for their own well-being above that of others.
Meaning: having regard for one's own well-being above that of others (adj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the word interesado/a can be used to describe someone who constantly puts their own interests first. In Argentina, the informal term forro/a might be used to express selfishness.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective egoísta is gender-neutral, meaning it remains egoísta whether it is describing a man or a woman. However, it must change to egoístas to agree with plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/eɡoˈista/
Did you know?
- While egoísta is used globally, in Argentina the slang term forro is used to describe a selfish person, though its literal meaning is 'condom'.
- The word egoísta is formed by combining the Latin 'ego' with the suffix -ista, which is used in Spanish to denote a person who follows a specific ideology or profession.
- The root of egoísta can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root *éǵh₂, which is the ancient ancestor of the English word 'I'.
Examples in context
- Yanni es más egoísta.Yanni is more selfish.This sentence uses egoísta to compare how selfish someone is.Tatoeba #10024770 by manufrutos, translation #10024007 by Amastan
- No pretendo ser egoísta.I don't intend to be selfish.This sentence uses egoísta to express an intention regarding being selfish.Tatoeba #456975 by Shishir, translation #1352 by Zifre
- Él es realmente egoísta.He's really selfish.This sentence uses egoísta to emphasize that someone is truly selfish.Tatoeba #1426353 by marcelostockle, translation #322193 by CK
- Mi jefe es una persona egoístaMy boss is a selfish person
- Es una actitud muy individualistaIt's a very selfish attitude
- Es egoísta a más no poder, nunca piensa en nadie másHe is selfish to the extreme, he never thinks of anyone else
- Deja de mirarte el ombligo y ayuda a los demásStop being selfish and help others
- 36 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are arguing about sharing a snack.
- DanielNo seas egoísta, comparte los dulces.Don't be selfish, share the sweets.
- MaríaNo soy egoísta, solo tengo hambre.I am not selfish, I'm just hungry.
- DanielSiempre haces lo mismo, Daniel.You always do the same thing, Daniel.
- MaríaEstá bien, toma algunos.Fine, take some.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “selfish” translations and entries egoísta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries egoísta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
