What does “sobrios” mean in Spanish?
Recorrido por un departamento elegante en Manhattan
A2 Spanish listening practice · Mexican Spanish · Picked for people who know a little
Walking through the Manhattan apartment, the host says “vamos a ver colores sobrios” — we’re going to see muted colours. He doesn’t mean dull. “Sobrios” describes things that stay calm and quiet instead of shouting: soft greys, off-whites, clean lines. The same word fits a person who is steady and serious. So when he calls the place elegant, “sobrios” is doing the work — quiet good taste, nothing flashy.
Spoken line: “Vamos a ver colores sobrios, pero también colores cálidos como el blanco.” — “We’re going to see muted colours, but also warm colours like white.” “Sobrios” usually means understated or restrained — calm, not loud or showy. Examples: - “Un traje de colores sobrios.” — “A suit in muted colours.” - “Una decoración sobria y elegante.” — “Simple, understated decor.” - “Es una persona sobria y seria.” — “He’s a steady, sensible person.” Notes: It often carries a quiet, classy feeling, whether you’re describing a room or someone’s character. The form here is plural to match “colores” — the singular is “sobrio / sobria.” It can also literally mean sober (not drunk), but in design and home-tour talk it’s about a calm, restrained look.
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These words are harder than A2. Here is what they mean.
Source: wordfreq 3.1.1 (general) · SUBTLEX-ESP 2011 (spoken). These numbers are close, not perfect.