altruista
/altɾuˈista/
The English word unselfish can be translated into Spanish as altruista. If unsure, use altruista. Wiktionary also lists generoso.
Meaning: not selfish, selfless, generous, altruistic (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| altruista | /altɾuˈista/ |
| generoso | /xeneˈɾoso/ |
The term is used to describe someone who is not selfish, selfless, generous or altruistic.
Which one should you use?
Use altruista when emphasizing a philosophical or selfless disregard for one's own interests, whereas generoso is more commonly used for general kindness or giving. While both can mean unselfish, generoso specifically implies a tendency to give more (money, time or resources) than is expected.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word altruista is an invariable adjective, meaning it has the same form for both masculine and feminine nouns. The word generoso is masculine and must change to generosa for feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/altɾuˈista/
Did you know?
- The word altruista is a linguistic immigrant. It was borrowed into Spanish from the French word altruisme, which was coined in the 19th century by the philosopher Auguste Comte.
- The term altruista is built from altrui, meaning 'other'. This traces back to the Latin alter, which is the same root used in the English word 'alternative'.
- The word generoso can also be used to describe an abundant amount of something, such as una porción generosa for a 'generous portion' of food.
Examples in context
- Juan es una persona desinteresada. Siempre está dispuesto a ayudar sin esperar nada a cambio.Juan is a selfless person. He is always willing to help without expecting anything in return.
- Nuestro equipo de voluntarios trabaja de manera altruista para mejorar la calidad de vida de los menos afortunados.Our team of volunteers works in an unselfish manner to improve the quality of life for the less fortunate.
- Mi amiga es desprendida. Siempre me presta su ropa sin problemas.My friend is unselfish. She always lends me her clothes without any issues.
- Gracias por tu ayuda. Eres muy generoso/a con tu tiempo.Thank you for your help. You are very unselfish with your time.
- Fue un gesto muy altruista.It was a very unselfish gesture.
- Es una persona muy generosa.She is a very unselfish/generous person.
- Es un hombre muy altruista.He is a very selfless man.
- Su actitud altruista nos ayudó a todos.His altruistic attitude helped us all.
- Ella siempre tiene un espíritu altruista.She always has an unselfish spirit.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are discussing a friend's recent donation to a local charity.
- Elena¿Viste el gran donativo de Carlos?Did you see Carlos's big donation?
- JavierSí, es una persona muy altruista.Yes, he is a very unselfish person.
- ElenaRealmente merece todo nuestro respeto.He truly deserves all our respect.
- JavierTotalmente de acuerdo contigo, Elena.I totally agree with you, Elena.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “unselfish” translations and entries altruista, generoso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries altruista, generoso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
