Spanish word

pobre

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈpoβɾe/

Meaning

  • adjectivepoor

Example

Mi vecino es pobre.

My neighbor is poor.

Illustration for pobre (poor)

More examples

En el barrio viven personas pobres.

Poor people live in the neighborhood.

Core concept

An empty wallet.

Common phrases

  • ser pobre

    be poor

  • persona pobre

    poor person

  • país pobre

    poor country

Similar words

necesitado: Needing money or aid to cover basic needs, in a vulnerable, dependent situation.
humilde: Modest in income or social rank, simple and unpretentious in appearance.
miserable: Living in extremely poor, wretched conditions with severe hardship.
desfavorecido: Having little social support or access to opportunities; socially disadvantaged.

Definition in Spanish

Que carece de recursos o bienes materiales y tiene pocos medios económicos.

Word origin

It comes from Latin pauper 'poor', passing through Old French and other Romance forms into Spanish as pobre.

Usage tips

  • Placed before a noun, pobre often conveys pity or irony; placed after a noun, it usually describes an actual lack of money or goods.

Other meanings

  • meageradjective
  • pitifuladjective

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word