Ella es fea
/eʝa es fea/from spelling rules
The English phrase "she is ugly" is translated into Spanish as Ella es fea.
Which one should you use?
Using the verb es implies that being ugly is a permanent characteristic of the person. Using estar instead would imply that she looks ugly in a specific moment.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective fea must be feminine to agree with the feminine subject Ella.
How do you pronounce it?
/eʝa es fea/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone fea can be a way to playfully tease a close friend or partner, rather than being a direct insult.
- The word feo is often used to describe things that are not just visually ugly, but are also perceived as unfair or morally wrong, such as un gesto feo.
- The word ella is a direct descendant of the Latin illa, which was used to point out someone far away, similar to how we use 'that woman' in English.
Examples in context
- Sara es fea, pero es inteligente y encantadora.Sara is ugly, but she is intelligent and charming.
- Ella es muy fea.She is very ugly.
- Ella es fea, pero es muy buena.She is ugly, but she is very kind.
- No me gusta, ella es fea.I don't like her, she is ugly.
- Sinceramente, ella es fea.Honestly, she is ugly.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a person in a photo.
- Elena¿Qué piensas de esa mujer?What do you think of that woman?
- JavierPara mí, ella es fea.To me, she is ugly.
- Elena¡Qué malo eres, Javier!You are so mean, Javier!
- JavierSolo digo la verdad.I am only telling the truth.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ella, es, CC BY-SA 4.0.
