Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| pulcro | /ˈpulkɾo/ |
| aseado | /aseˈado/ |
| arreglado | /areˈɡlado/ |
All these terms describe something that is arranged neatly.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on what kind of tidiness you are describing. Aseado is most commonly used to describe a person's personal appearance and cleanliness (hygiene) rather than the arrangement of objects. Arreglado is often used to describe things that have been put in order or people who are well-dressed. Pulcro is a formal word indicating a high level of tidiness or meticulousness.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, aseado is frequently used in formal contexts. In Argentina, the term prolijo is often used to mean tidy or neat.
How does it change in a sentence?
These adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. For example, use the feminine form pulcra for feminine nouns and the masculine plural form pulcros for multiple masculine or mixed-gender nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpulkɾo/
Did you know?
- The word pulcro comes from the Latin word pulcher, which originally meant 'beautiful'. In Spanish, the meaning shifted from general beauty to the specific beauty found in cleanliness and order.
- The verb form of arreglado, which is arreglar, is a linguistic 'Swiss Army knife'. Beyond tidying, it can mean to fix a broken car, settle a dispute, or even arrange a secret deal.
- While an English speaker might say a room is 'neat', a Spanish speaker might use prolijo in Argentina to describe not just a tidy space, but also a person who is extremely thorough and detailed in their work.
Examples in context
- La oficina está ordenadaThe office is tidy
- El abogado siempre está arregladoThe lawyer always looks tidy
- El hotel era pulcro y bien organizadoThe hotel was tidy and well-organized
- La sala de reuniones está aseadaThe meeting room is tidy
- Mi habitación está limpia y ordenadaMy room is clean and tidy
- Dejé mi escritorio bien recogidoI left my desk very tidy
- Me gusta tener mi escritorio prolijoI like to have my desk tidy
- Su escritorio siempre está muy pulcro.His desk is always very tidy.
- El informe tiene un estilo muy pulcro.The report has a very neat style.
- Mantenemos un ambiente pulcro en la oficina.We maintain a tidy environment in the office.
Example conversation
Mateo and María are looking at a newly decorated office.
- MateoMira María, el espacio quedó muy pulcro.Look María, the space turned out very tidy.
- MaríaTienes razón, Mateo, se ve excelente.You are right, Mateo, it looks excellent.
- MateoMe gusta que todo esté así de organizado.I like that everything is this organized.
- MaríaYo también, es más fácil trabajar así.Me too, it is easier to work this way.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tidy” translations and entries pulcro, aseado, arreglado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries arreglado, aseado, pulcro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
