poco fiable
The English phrase unreliable can be translated into Spanish using poco fiable. If unsure, use poco fiable. Wiktionary also lists no ser de fiar.
Meaning: not reliable (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| poco fiable | |
| no ser de fiar | /no seɾ de fjaɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
To express that someone or something is not reliable, you can use the adjective poco fiable. Alternatively, you can use the idiomatic phrase no ser de fiar to describe a person who cannot be trusted.
Which one should you use?
The adjective fiable is the direct antonym of no fiable and is used to mean reliable. no ser de fiar is a common idiomatic way to describe a person who cannot be trusted or is unreliable.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the idiomatic phrase no ser de fiar, you must conjugate the verb ser to match the subject, such as in the form no es de fiar for he, she or it is not reliable.
Did you know?
- The verb ser used in no ser de fiar absorbed an Old Spanish verb seer, which originally meant 'to sit'.
- In some contexts, fiar can also mean 'to give credit' or 'to sell on trust', as in letting someone pay later.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone no es de fiar is a much stronger personal indictment than simply saying they are 'unreliable' in English.
Examples in context
- El testigo no es confiable ya que ha cambiado su versión varias veces.The witness is not reliable since he has changed his version several times.
- Esa fuente de información es poco fiable. Deberíamos buscar otras fuentes más confiables.That source of information is unreliable, we should look for more reliable sources.
- No le creas, es chueco. Siempre cambia lo que dice.Don't believe him, he's unreliable, he always changes what he says.
- No sé si deberíamos pedirle ayuda, es poco de fiar.I'm not sure if we should ask him for help, he's not reliable.
- No le hagas caso, es un embustero. Nunca cumple lo que promete.Don't pay attention to him, he's unreliable, he never keeps his promises.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “unreliable” translations, 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 de, fiar, no, ser, CC BY-SA 4.0.
