humilde
Lemma Details
Translation: humble; modest; meek; lowly; unpretentious
Part of Speech: adjective
Etymology: From Latin 'humilis' meaning 'low, lowly, humble', which derives from 'humus' meaning 'earth, ground, soil'. The English word 'humble' shares the same Latin root, making them cognates. The connection to 'earth' reflects the original sense of being 'close to the ground' or 'low' in both physical and metaphorical senses, evolving to describe someone who doesn't consider themselves superior to others.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
A pesar de su éxito, sigue siendo una persona muy humilde.
Despite his success, he remains a very humble person.
Vive en una casa humilde pero acogedora.
He lives in a humble but cozy house.
Viene de una familia humilde del campo.
He comes from a humble family from the countryside.
Te pido de manera humilde que reconsideres tu decisión.
I humbly ask you to reconsider your decision.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'humilde' as related to 'humus' (soil) – someone humble stays grounded like earth.
- Remember the English cognate 'humble' – they sound similar and mean the same thing.
- Visualize someone bowing down toward the ground (humus) in humility.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking cultures, humility (humildad) is often considered a virtue and highly valued, especially in religious contexts. The concept of being 'humilde' is frequently associated with being grounded, authentic, and not showing off wealth or status. In some contexts, it can also refer to someone of lower socioeconomic status ('de origen humilde').
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Humilde' means 'humble' while 'húmedo' means 'wet' or 'damp'. They look somewhat similar but have completely different meanings.
Notes: The stress falls on different syllables: hu-MIL-de vs. HÚ-me-do.
Mnemonic: 'Humilde' has an 'l' like 'humble', while 'húmedo' has an 'm' like 'moist'.
Explanation: 'Humilde' means 'humble' (a positive trait of modesty), while 'humillado' means 'humiliated' (a negative state resulting from embarrassment or shame).
This word:
Su actitud humilde le ganó el respeto de todos.
His humble attitude earned him everyone's respect.
Confused word:
Se sintió humillado después de cometer ese error en público.
He felt humiliated after making that mistake in public.
Notes: Both words share the same Latin root 'humilis', but 'humillado' is the past participle of 'humillar' (to humiliate).
Mnemonic: 'Humillado' has 'ill' in it, suggesting something negative happened, while 'humilde' is a character trait.