No, no es nuevo, es viejo.
No, it's not new, it's old.
Someone gets a compliment and corrects it right away because the piece has been around for years, so viejo here is the opposite of nuevo.
From La jefa · Spanish audio
Spanish vocabularyA1 · Beginner
How to say "old" in Spanish
viejo
adjectivefeminine: viejaplural: viejos
"Old" in Spanish is viejo, or vieja for feminine nouns. It works for things, places and people, but for a person mayor sounds kinder: una señora mayor. Placed before a noun, viejo can mean longtime, as in un viejo amigo.
Hear "viejo" in real movie scenes
A quick correction and a suspicious building. Each video starts and stops on that line.
El almacén es viejo
The warehouse is old.
The team checks a rented warehouse whose ventilation looks suspiciously new, and viejo describes the building itself.
From NCIS: Sydney · Spanish audio
Viejo, mayor, antiguo or anciano?
Pick the word by what you describe: a thing, a building or a person.
| Word | When to use it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| viejo | Things and places that are old or worn. Blunt for people | una casa vieja (an old house) |
| mayor | Older people, said with respect | una persona mayor (an older person) |
| antiguo | From long ago, often with some value. Before a noun it means former | un mueble antiguo (an antique piece of furniture) |
| anciano | Elderly, in formal or written Spanish | un hombre anciano (an elderly man) |
Tip: In Argentina and several other countries, mis viejos is a casual, affectionate way to say "my parents".
Grammar: viejo, vieja
Four points that change the meaning or the ending.
Four endings
viejo, vieja, viejos, viejas. Match the noun: un barrio viejo, dos casas viejas.Position changes the meaning
After the noun it's about age: un amigo viejo is an elderly friend. Before the noun it often means longtime: un viejo amigo.Ser or estar
Es viejo describes a lasting trait. Estás viejo means you've gotten old or you look old.Asking someone's age
Age goes with tener and años: ¿Cuántos años tienes? The word viejo stays out of the question.Example sentences
Sentences from the Wordy Spanish course. Tap to listen.
El objeto es viejo.
The object is old.
El bolígrafo es viejo.
The pen is old.
Sí, estás viejo.
Yes, you've gotten old.
No, no es nuevo, es viejo.
No, it's not new, it's old.
Common mistakes
Mistakes learners make with this word, and how to fix them.
✗¿Qué tan viejo eres?
✓¿Cuántos años tienes?
Spanish asks how many years you have, with tener.
✗una casa viejo
✓una casa vieja
Casa is a feminine noun, and viejo has to follow it: vieja.
✗un hombre viejo (about a neighbor, politely)
✓un señor mayor
Viejo can sound rude about a person. Mayor shows respect.
✗VEE-eh-joh (pronunciation)
✓BYEH-hoh
The v sounds like a soft b, and the j is a breathy h from the throat.
Real conversation: is it new?
A short chat on a playground bench. Tap to listen.
You're sitting on a playground bench when a little boy's small belonging rolls up to your feet, and his dad Javier turns to you.
Mira, mi móvil.
Look, my phone.
¿Es nuevo?
Is it new?
No, es viejo. De mi padre.
No, it's old. It was my father's.
Your turn to answer
In the app you write the last reply in Spanish.
Continue the conversation in WordyPractice: 3 quick exercises
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1 of 3 · Watch and choose
What do you hear in the video?
The other 30 exercises on this topic are in the app.
How to remember it
Say viejo slowly and you hear bee-EH-ho. Picture an old sailor humming "hey-ho" as he shuffles across the deck.
Questions about "old" in Spanish
How do you say old in Spanish?
Viejo, which turns into vieja next to a feminine noun. When you talk about older people, mayor is more polite.
How do you say "old man" in Spanish?
The polite way is un señor mayor. People also say un viejo, but it can sound disrespectful, and un anciano is the formal word.
What's the difference between viejo and antiguo?
Viejo means old or worn. Antiguo means from long ago, as with antiques, and before a noun it means former: mi antiguo trabajo.
How do you say "How old are you?" in Spanish?
¿Cuántos años tienes? Answer with tener too: Tengo veinte años.
