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petulant and Spanish petulante
In English
petulant
irritable / childishly bad-tempered
In Spanish
petulante
arrogante
Spanish "petulante" means: arrogant
Why they get mixed up Spanish "petulante" describes someone arrogant, conceited, or who thinks they know more than others. English "petulant" describes someone irritable and sulky, especially when they don't get their way. It's not arrogance, it's impatience.
If you want to say...
- petulantberrinchudo o malhumorado
- arrogantpetulante
- sulkyberrinchudo
Examples
Don't be so petulant.
No seas tan berrinchudo.
He gave a petulant reply.
Dio una respuesta malhumorada.
The petulant child threw his toy on the floor.
El niño berrinchudo tiró su juguete al suelo.
She gave a petulant shrug and walked away.
Se encogió de hombros con enfado y se fue.
Common mistakes in Spanish
Incorrect: Es un niño petulante: tira los juguetes cuando se enoja.
Correct: Es un niño berrinchudo: tira los juguetes cuando se enoja.
Petulante means arrogant or conceited. For a sulky, bad-tempered person, use berrinchudo or malhumorado.
Incorrect: Su respuesta petulante mostró que estaba de mal humor.
Correct: Su respuesta malhumorada mostró que estaba enojado.
Use malhumorado for a petulant reply.
Phrases you will hear
- a petulant childun niño berrinchudo
- a petulant replyuna respuesta malhumorada
- a petulant shrugun encogimiento de hombros enfadado
- petulancemal genio infantil
- arrogantarrogante
- conceitedengreído
In a conversation
- A:
Don't be so petulant!
¡No seas tan berrinchudo!
- B:
I'm not. I'm just tired.
No lo soy. Solo estoy cansado.
- A:
You sound like a petulant child.
Suenas como un niño berrinchudo.
- B:
And you sound arrogant.
Y tú suenas arrogante.
Test yourself
"A petulant child" is a child who is...
To remember it
Petulant = irritable/childishly bad-tempered. Arrogant (Spanish "petulante") = arrogant.
Frequently asked questions
What does Spanish "petulante" mean?
Spanish "petulante" means "arrogant". It looks like the English "petulant", which is exactly why it gets confused, but "petulant" means "irritable / childishly bad-tempered".
Does English "petulant" mean the same as Spanish "petulante"?
Spanish "petulante" describes someone arrogant, conceited, or who thinks they know more than others. English "petulant" describes someone irritable and sulky, especially when they don't get their way. It's not arrogance, it's impatience.