Spanish word

ajeno

Pronunciation

IPA/aˈxeno/

Meaning

  • adjectivesomeone else's

Example

No me interesa la vida ajena.

I'm not interested in someone else's life.

Illustration for ajeno (someone else's)

More examples

Me siento ajeno a esas costumbres.

I feel unrelated to those customs.

Core concept

An object, issue, or responsibility that is not one's own.

Common phrases

  • la vida ajena

    someone else's life

  • problema ajeno

    someone else's problem

  • ser ajeno a

    be unrelated to

Similar words

propio: Is owned by the person in question; is one's own.
privado: Is not public and is reserved for or relates only to an individual.
personal: Relates to an individual's private concerns, feelings, or identity.
particular: Is limited to a specific person, thing, or situation.

Definition in Spanish

Que no es propio: bien porque pertenece a otra persona, bien porque está fuera de relación o interés.

Word origin

Derived from Latin alienus 'belonging to another', ajeno covers both possessions that belong to others and things that are outside a person's relation or concern.

Usage tips

  • When expressing detachment or lack of awareness, it commonly occurs with estar in expressions like estar ajeno a la situación, while ser ajeno more often emphasizes lack of ownership.

Other meanings

  • unrelatedadjective
  • indifferentadjective
  • foreignadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • ajenaralienateverb
  • ajenadoalienatedadjective

Word lists with this word