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ordinary and Spanish ordinario
In English
ordinary
common / normal
In Spanish
ordinario
grosero
Spanish "ordinario" means: vulgar / rude
Why they get mixed up Spanish "ordinario" can be an insult: someone classless or vulgar. English "ordinary" is completely neutral: something common, normal, nothing special or bad. Spanish "ordinario" as an insult in English is "vulgar" or "coarse."
If you want to say...
- ordinarynormal o común
- vulgarordinario
- everydaycotidiano
Examples
It was an ordinary day.
Fue un día común y corriente.
They're just ordinary people.
Son gente común.
It was an ordinary morning until the phone rang.
Fue una mañana normal hasta que sonó el teléfono.
She lives an ordinary life in a small town.
Vive una vida corriente en un pueblo pequeño.
Common mistakes in Spanish
Incorrect: Fue un día ordinario y tranquilo.
Correct: Fue un día normal y tranquilo.
Ordinario in Spanish often means vulgar or coarse. For ordinary, use normal or corriente.
Incorrect: Es una chica ordinaria: le gusta leer y pasear.
Correct: Es una chica normal: le gusta leer y pasear.
Use normal for an everyday person.
Phrases you will hear
- an ordinary dayun día normal
- ordinary peoplegente común
- out of the ordinaryfuera de lo común
- an ordinary lifeuna vida corriente
- vulgarordinario (grosero)
- rudegrosero
In a conversation
- A:
It was an ordinary day.
Fue un día normal.
- B:
Nothing out of the ordinary?
¿Nada fuera de lo común?
- A:
No. Just ordinary people at work.
No. Solo gente común en el trabajo.
- B:
Better than rude coworkers.
Mejor que compañeros groseros.
Test yourself
"An ordinary day" is a day that is...
To remember it
Ordinary = common/normal. Vulgar/rude (Spanish "ordinario") = vulgar/rude.
Frequently asked questions
What does Spanish "ordinario" mean?
Spanish "ordinario" means "vulgar / rude". It looks like the English "ordinary", which is exactly why it gets confused, but "ordinary" means "common / normal".
Does English "ordinary" mean the same as Spanish "ordinario"?
Spanish "ordinario" can be an insult: someone classless or vulgar. English "ordinary" is completely neutral: something common, normal, nothing special or bad. Spanish "ordinario" as an insult in English is "vulgar" or "coarse."