sospechoso
/sospeˈt͡ʃoso/
The English slang term 'sus' is expressed in Spanish as sospechoso.
sospechoso is used to describe someone or something that appears suspicious or dishonest.
Which one should you use?
In English, 'sus' is a common slang shortening, but in Spanish, sospechoso is the standard full word and is not typically shortened to 'sus' in traditional speech.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, particularly in Argentina and Uruguay, the word chueco (masculine) or chueca (feminine) can be used to describe someone or something as crooked or shady.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective sospechoso must agree in gender with the person or object being described: use sospechosa for feminine nouns. It also changes to the plural form sospechosos when describing a group of males or a mixed-gender group.
How do you pronounce it?
/sospeˈtʃoso/
Did you know?
- While sospechoso is the standard term, Spanish speakers in certain regions might use turbio (literally 'cloudy' or 'murky') to describe a person or situation that feels 'sus'.
- The suffix -oso in sospechoso is a productivity powerhouse in Spanish, used to turn many nouns into adjectives that describe an abundance of a quality, similar to the English 'full of'.
- The word sospechoso originates from the Latin word suspectāre, which meant to look at something with caution or to observe closely.
Examples in context
- Su comportamiento es bastante sospechoso.His behavior is quite suspicious.
- Hay algo sospechoso en este trato.There is something suspicious about this deal.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are looking at a strange website.
- JavierMira esta página, Sofía.Look at this page, Sofía.
- SofíaSe ve muy sospechoso.It looks very sus.
- JavierTienes razón, no hagas clic.You're right, don't click.
- SofíaMejor cerremos el navegador.Better to close the browser.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sospechoso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sospechoso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
