Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| injusto | /inˈxusto/ |
| que no vale | /ke no bale/ (from spelling rules) |
The primary way to express that something is not fair is to use the adjective injusto. You can also use the phrase que no vale to colloquially express that a situation, rule or game is unfair or invalid. In a more descriptive or philosophical sense, the colloquial expression injusto/a como la vida misma is used to say something is 'unfair like life itself'.
Which one should you use?
injusto is the standard adjective used to describe an unfair person, action or situation. In contrast, the phrase que no vale is a colloquialism used to protest a situation or rule that feels unfair or invalid, such as during an argument or a game.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The slang term chueco/a is used in some Latin American countries to mean crooked or unfair, while the term chafa is specific to Mexican slang to describe something as unfair or low-quality.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, injusto must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. Use the feminine form injusta for feminine nouns, and the plural forms injustos or injustas to match plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/inˈxusto/
Did you know?
- In some contexts, vale can be used as a shorthand for 'okay', but in the phrase que no vale, it specifically denotes a lack of validity.
- While injusto describes the concept of injustice, the colloquialism que no vale actually uses a verb meaning 'to be worth'.
- The use of que no vale is often accompanied by a specific tone of protest or a gesture of dismissal during games.
Examples in context
- Fueron injustos con él.They were unfair to him.This sentence shows how to use injusto to describe how people treated someone.Tatoeba #1136005 by Shishir, translation #1334434 by marcelostockle
- Se ve bastante injusto.It feels pretty unfair.This sentence uses injusto to describe how a situation feels.Tatoeba #5689086 by arh, translation #4498537 by CK
- Esto es un poco injusto.This is a bit unfair.This sentence uses injusto to describe a specific thing.Tatoeba #5005262 by Mavry, translation #5004816 by CK
- una decisión injustaAn unfair decision
- trato injustoUnfair treatment
- una repartición desigual de los recursosAn unfair distribution of resources
- una división inequitativa de tareasAn unfair division of tasks
- un juicio parcialA biased trial
- un trato parcial hacia ciertos empleadosPartial treatment towards certain employees
- una sanción arbitrariaAn arbitrary sanction
- una normativa arbitrariaAn arbitrary rule
- una jugada chuecaA crooked move
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are discussing a decision made at work.
- DanielEse nuevo horario es muy injusto.That new schedule is very unfair.
- ElenaTienes razón, Daniel, es un problema.You're right, Daniel, it's a problem.
- Daniel¿Crees que podamos hablar con el jefe?Do you think we can talk to the boss?
- ElenaSí, yo te acompañaré.Yes, I will accompany you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “unfair” translations and entries injusto, 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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
