hueles raro
/weles ɾaɾo/from spelling rules
The phrase hueles raro is how you say "you smell funny" in Spanish.
hueles raro is used to tell someone that they have an unusual or strange scent.
Which one should you use?
While hueles raro implies an unusual or suspicious scent, hueles mal is used specifically to say someone smells unpleasant or stinky.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "he/she/it smells funny" or "it smells funny", change the verb form from hueles to huele. To say "they smell funny", use the plural verb form huelen.
Did you know?
- While English uses 'funny' to mean both 'humorous' and 'strange', the Spanish raro only means 'strange'. Using hueles gracioso would imply the scent itself is telling a joke.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, telling someone hueles raro can be a playful way to hint that they have used too much perfume or cologne, rather than suggesting they smell bad.
- The word raro originates from the Latin rārus, which originally meant 'thin' or 'scattered'.
Examples in context
- ¿Por qué hueles raro?Why do you smell funny?
- Hueles raro, ¿te has caído en el césped?You smell funny, did you fall in the grass?
- Hueles raro, creo que es el perfume nuevo.You smell funny, I think it is the new perfume.
- No te acerques tanto, hueles raro hoy.Don't come too close, you smell funny today.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are standing close to each other in a kitchen.
- DanielLucía, hueles raro. ¿Estuviste cocinando con ajo?Lucía, you smell funny. Were you cooking with garlic?
- LucíaSí, acabo de preparar la cena.Yes, I just prepared dinner.
- DanielAhora entiendo por qué hueles así.Now I understand why you smell like that.
- LucíaVoy a lavarme las manos ahora mismo.I am going to wash my hands right now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries raro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
