sospechoso
/sospeˈt͡ʃoso/
The Spanish word for suspicious is sospechoso. Wiktionary also lists suspecto.
Meaning: arousing suspicion (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sospechoso | /sospeˈt͡ʃoso/ | |
| suspecto | /suspeɡto/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The adjective is used to describe something or someone that arouses suspicion.
Which one should you use?
The word sospechoso is the adjective used to describe something suspicious. Do not confuse it with sospecha, which is the noun meaning 'suspicion'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the colloquial term chungo/a is used to describe something suspicious.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use sospechosa for feminine singular nouns, sospechosos for masculine plural or mixed-gender groups and sospechosas for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/sospeˈtʃoso/
When do people say it?
If you want to express that a situation seems suspicious or 'fishy' using an idiom, you can say Huele a chamusquina, which literally translates to 'it smells like something is burning'.
Did you know?
- The root of sospecha traces back to the Latin 'suspectāre', which means to look underneath or to peep, reflecting the idea of looking closely to find something hidden.
- The word sospechoso can function as both an adjective and a noun, meaning you can use it to refer to a 'suspect' in a criminal investigation.
- While sospechoso is the standard term, the word suspecto is far less common and is often viewed as an anglicism influenced by the English word 'suspect'.
Examples in context
- ¿Él notó algo sospechoso?Did he notice something suspicious?This sentence is useful for asking if someone noticed a suspicious detail using sospechoso.Tatoeba #1697977 by marcelostockle, translation #3763372 by cromwellt
- Tom se volvió sospechoso.Tom became suspicious.This sentence shows how to describe a person becoming suspicious using sospechoso.Tatoeba #2880038 by cueyayotl, translation #2235998 by CK
- Esto me parece sospechoso.This seems suspicious to me.This sentence shows how to express that something seems suspicious using sospechoso.Tatoeba #7908151 by Seael, translation #7908150 by Hybrid
- La situación parece sospechosaThe situation seems suspicious
- El comportamiento del individuo es muy dudosoThe individual's behavior is very suspicious
- La actividad en el edificio es extrañaThe activity in the building is suspicious
- Me parece muy chungo el negocioThe business seems very suspicious to me
- El informe policial indicaba circunstancias sospechosasThe police report indicated suspicious circumstances
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are walking through a park at night.
- ElenaDaniel, ¿viste a aquel hombre sospechoso?Daniel, did you see that suspicious man?
- DanielSí, Elena, me parece muy sospechoso.Yes, Elena, he seems very suspicious to me.
- ElenaDeberíamos irnos de aquí rápidamente.We should leave here quickly.
- DanielTienes razón, vámonos.You are right, let's go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “suspicious” translations and entries sospechoso, suspecto, 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 sospechoso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
