apestoso
/apesˈtoso/
The Spanish word for smelly is apestoso.
The word is used to describe something that has a bad smell.
Meaning: having a bad smell (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, apestoso must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. Use apestoso for masculine singular nouns, apestosa for feminine singular nouns, apestosos for masculine plural nouns and apestosas for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/apesˈtoso/
Did you know?
- The verb form apestar can be used colloquially in some regions to mean that something is 'stinking' of a particular quality, such as apestar a miedo to 'stink of fear'.
- While it describes a bad smell, calling a person apestoso can be a much more aggressive insult than simply saying someone 'smells bad' in English.
- The adjective apestoso is built from the verb apestar, which itself comes from the noun peste, meaning 'plague' or 'pestilence'.
Examples in context
- La única ventana de la habitación de nuestro hotel da a un callejón apestoso.The only window in our hotel room opens onto a smelly alley.This sentence shows how to use apestoso to describe a location like an alley.Tatoeba #533598 by darinmex, translation #533597 by darinmex
- El queso viejo tiene un olor apestoso.The old cheese has a smelly odor.
- El vertedero emana un olor maloliente.The landfill gives off a malodorous smell.
- El basurero está lleno de cosas malolientes.The dumpster is full of smelly things.
- ¡No puedo entrar al baño! ¡Está hediondo!I can't go into the bathroom! It's smelly!
- ¡Qué hediondo está el pescado!How smelly the fish is!
- La comida podrida tiene un olor asqueroso.Rotten food has a disgusting smell.
- La basura emana un olor desagradable bajo el sol.The garbage emits an unpleasant smell under the sun.
- Ese calcetín apestoso es tuyo.That smelly sock is yours.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are in the kitchen near the trash bin.
- ElenaEste bote de basura está apestoso.This trash can is smelly.
- AlejandroTienes razón, Elena, huele fatal.You're right, Elena, it smells terrible.
- Elena¿Puedes sacarlo ahora, Alejandro?Can you take it out now, Alejandro?
- AlejandroSí, lo sacaré de inmediato.Yes, I will take it out immediately.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry apestoso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries apestoso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
