apretado
/apɾeˈtado/
When clothes are tight in Spanish, they are apretado.
apretado describes something that fits too close, such as pantalones apretados (tight pants). It also works for a abrazo apretado (tight hug) and for a tight schedule, much as in English.
Meaning: fitting close, or too close, to the body (adj)
Which one should you use?
ceñido is a more formal word for tight, used for close-fitting clothing.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective agrees with the noun: apretado for a masculine singular noun, apretada for a feminine one, apretados for masculine plural and apretadas for feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
The IPA is /apɾeˈtado/, stressed on the third syllable.
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, calling a person apretado can colloquially imply that they are 'stingy' or 'tight-fisted' with money in some Latin American regions.
- The verb behind the adjective, apretar, can also mean 'to press' a button or 'to tighten' a screw, showing how the concept of 'squeezing' expands to mechanical tension.
- In a sports context, a partido apretado is a 'tight game', but it specifically implies a high-tension match where the score is very close until the end.
Examples in context
- Tenemos un horario apretado.We have a tight schedule.apretado describes a busy schedule here.Tatoeba #2530590 by marcelostockle, translation #1444788 by Spamster
- Mi traje de baño está muy apretado.My swimsuit is too tight.apretado agrees with the masculine noun for swimsuit.Tatoeba #4317200 by pchamorro, translation #4316819 by Rosijupon
- Estos zapatos son demasiado apretados.These shoes are too tight.apretados is plural because it describes shoes.Tatoeba #1775745 by marcelostockle, translation #59589 by CK
- Tengo que ir a la tienda, estos zapatos me quedan muy apretados.I have to go to the store, these shoes are too tight for me.
- Ella lucía un vestido ceñido que resaltaba su figura.She wore a tight-fitting dress that highlighted her figure.
- El pasillo era tan estrecho que solo podía pasar una persona a la vez.The hallway was so tight that only one person could pass at a time.
- No me gustan los jeans apretados, prefiero sentirme cómodo.I don't like tight jeans, I prefer to feel comfortable.
- Compré una camiseta ajustada en la tienda de ropa.I bought a tight-fitting t-shirt at the clothing store.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo is trying on a shirt in a clothing store.
- MateoEste botón se siente muy apretado.This button feels very tight.
- SofíaCreo que necesitas una talla más grande.I think you need a larger size.
- MateoSí, el cuello está demasiado apretado.Yes, the collar is too tight.
- SofíaBusquemos otra camisa para Mateo.Let's look for another shirt for Mateo.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry apretado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries apretado, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
