vago
Lemma Details
Translation: lazy; idle; vague; undefined; vagrant; wandering
Part of Speech: adjective
Etymology: From Latin 'vagus' meaning 'wandering, rambling, uncertain'. The English words 'vague' and 'vagrant' share this Latin root. The original sense of wandering or roaming without purpose evolved into the modern Spanish meaning of laziness or idleness, as well as retaining the sense of vagueness or imprecision.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Mi hermano es muy vago, nunca quiere hacer sus tareas.
My brother is very lazy, he never wants to do his homework.
Dio una respuesta vaga que no aclaró nada.
He gave a vague answer that didn't clarify anything.
Hay muchos perros vagos en las calles de la ciudad.
There are many stray dogs in the city streets.
Pasó todo el verano haciendo el vago.
He spent the whole summer being lazy.
Mnemonics
- Think of a 'vagrant' who wanders aimlessly without working - they're 'vago' (lazy).
- Vago sounds like 'vague' - both indicate something imprecise or undefined.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish culture, calling someone 'vago' is a common criticism, especially from parents to children or teachers to students. The concept of 'vagancia' (laziness) is often contrasted with the valued trait of being 'trabajador' (hardworking).
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Vago' means lazy or vague, while 'vaco' (from 'vacar') means vacant or empty.
Notes: 'Vaco' is less common in everyday speech than 'vago' and is often replaced by 'vacante' or 'vacío'.
Mnemonic: 'Vago' has a 'g' like 'lazy guy', while 'vaco' has a 'c' like 'vacant'.
Explanation: As a noun, 'vago' can mean 'vagrant' or 'tramp', while as an adjective it means 'lazy' or 'vague'.
Notes: The noun meaning is less common in modern Spanish than the adjective meaning.
Mnemonic: For the noun, think 'vagrant'; for the adjective, think 'lazy'.