Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| raro | /ˈraɾo/ |
| bizarro | /biˈθaro/ /biˈsaro/ |
| extraño | /e(ɡ)sˈtɾaɲo/ |
These terms are used to describe something that deviates from the normal or is bizarre. Note that raro can mean both 'weird' (strange) and 'rare' (uncommon or infrequent) depending on the context of your sentence.
Which one should you use?
While raro and extraño are standard ways to say something is strange, bizarro is a colloquialism in some regions. You should be aware that the traditional and formal meaning of bizarro in Spanish is actually 'brave' or 'gallant'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For highly unusual or extraordinary situations, you may use the formal term insólito/a. In contrast, bizarro is considered colloquial when used to mean 'weird'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective raro must agree in gender with the noun it modifies. Use rara for feminine nouns and raros for masculine or mixed-gender plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈraɾo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using bizarro to mean 'weird' in formal settings. English speakers often make this mistake because it resembles the English word 'bizarre', but it is a linguistic false friend in formal Spanish.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word bizarro may have originated from the Basque word bizardun, meaning 'bearded'.
Examples in context
- Tom no es raro.Tom isn't weird.This sentence shows how to use raro to describe a person.Tatoeba #8799973 by diegohn, translation #2237030 by CK
- ¿No es eso raro?Isn't that weird?This sentence uses raro to ask a question about a situation.Tatoeba #4505505 by jairovx, translation #2248708 by CK
- Es un poco raro.It's just a weird feeling.This sentence uses raro to describe a feeling.Tatoeba #7906926 by arh, translation #5740692 by CM
- La situación fue bastante extraña.The situation was quite weird.
- Su comportamiento en la reunión fue algo raro.His behavior during the meeting was somewhat weird.
- Es increíble cómo ocurrió algo tan insólito.It's incredible how something so weird happened.
- Su forma de vestir es bien extraña.His way of dressing is really weird.
- Me resultó muy chocante su cambio de actitud.His change in attitude was very weird to me.
- 79 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are walking through a dark park.
- Lucía¿Viste ese hombre tan raro?Did you see that weird man?
- AlejandroSí, me dio un poco de miedo.Yes, he scared me a little.
- LucíaEs un lugar muy raro de noche.It is a very weird place at night.
- AlejandroTienes razón, vamos a casa.You are right, let's go home.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “weird” translations and entries raro, bizarro, extraño, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bizarro, extraño, raro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
