listo
clever, smart; ready
Beginner Adjective
🔊
Pronunciation
/ˈlis.to/
💡
Cultural Note
Be careful with 'listo' — with 'ser' it means clever/smart, but with 'estar' it means ready. 'Hacerse el listo' means to act like a know-it-all, which gives it a negative spin. In Spain, 'listo' can also imply street-smart cunning, not just book intelligence.
📝 Example Sentences
Es muy lista, siempre saca buenas notas.
She's very clever, she always gets good grades.
No te hagas el listo conmigo.
Don't try to be a smart aleck with me.
¡Qué listo eres! Se te ocurren ideas geniales.
How clever you are! You come up with great ideas.
📊 Adjective Forms
| Gender | Form |
|---|---|
| feminine | lista |
| masculine | listo |
| feminine_plural | listas |
| masculine_plural | listos |