English–Spanish

“futile” in Spanish

Spanish

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈbano/

Example

Tu esfuerzo fue vano.

Your effort was futile.

Illustration for vano (futile)

How to say “futile” in Spanish

“Futile” in Spanish is vano.

Person pushing a boulder uphill that rolls back.

Full entry for vano: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with vano

Su comentario vano no ayudó a resolver el problema.

His meaningless comment did not help solve the problem.

Tips for using vano

  • 'En vano' matches English 'in vain' and appears often in formal writing, while in casual speech Spanish speakers often prefer phrases like 'no sirvió de nada' or 'fue inútil'.

“futile” in other languages