Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate
How to Say Disrespectful in Spanish: Irrespetuoso
Irrespetuoso · adjective · ee-rreh-speh-too-OH-soh
Disrespectful in Spanish is irrespetuoso, an adjective that changes form based on gender (irrespetuosa for feminine). Colloquial alternatives include faltón in Spain and grosero across Latin America.
Irrespetuoso is pronounced ee-rreh-speh-too-OH-soh, with the stress on the fourth syllable.
Fue muy irrespetuoso hablarle así a su madre.
It was very disrespectful to talk to his mother like that.
Disrespectful in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for disrespectful, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| irrespetuoso | disrespectful | ee-rreh-speh-too-OH-soh | Default, widely understood |
| faltón | disrespectful | Spain colloquial | |
| grosero | disrespectful | broader meaning: rude |
How Native Speakers Use Irrespetuoso
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Describing behavior
Ese comentario fue completamente irrespetuoso.
That comment was completely disrespectful.
Criticizing someone's remark.
Parenting context
No seas irrespetuoso con tus abuelos.
Don't be disrespectful to your grandparents.
Parent correcting a child's behavior.
Workplace situation
Su actitud irrespetuosa le costó el trabajo.
His disrespectful attitude cost him the job.
Professional consequences.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Irrespetuoso
Missing double-R
Incorrect: Eso fue muy irespetuoso.
Correct: Eso fue muy irrespetuoso.
The prefix ir- combined with respetuoso creates a double-R that must be written and pronounced.
Confusing irrespetuoso with grosero
Incorrect: Es irrespetuoso comer con la boca abierta.
Correct: Es grosero comer con la boca abierta.
Poor manners are better described as grosero (rude), while irrespetuoso implies deliberate disregard for someone's dignity.
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Common Questions About Disrespectful in Spanish
- How do you say disrespectful in Spanish?
- The direct translation is irrespetuoso (ee-rreh-speh-too-OH-soh), which matches English disrespectful in both form and meaning as a negation of respectful.
- What is the difference between irrespetuoso and grosero?
- Irrespetuoso specifically means showing lack of respect toward someone or something, while grosero is broader and covers general rudeness, bad manners, or vulgar behavior.
- How do you say 'that's disrespectful' in Spanish?
- Eso es una falta de respeto is the most common natural expression, literally meaning that is a lack of respect, and is often preferred over eso es irrespetuoso in everyday speech.