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"Sly" is an adjective which is often translated as "astuto", and "shrewd" is an adjective which is also often translated as "astuto". Learn more about the difference between "sly" and "shrewd" below.
sly(
slay
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (clever)
a. astuto
"You can't trick me! I'm too sly!" said the fox."¡A mí no se me puede engañar! ¡Soy demasiado astuto!", dijo el zorro.
I thought I could beat her at her own game, but I didn't count on her being so sly.Pensé que podía ganarle en su propio juego, pero no conté con que fuera tan astuta.
b. taimado
Don't play games with him. He's a sly opponent.No juegues con él. Es un oponente taimado.
c. pillo
I had no idea about the surprise party! You are so sly!¡No tenía ni idea sobre la fiesta sorpresa! ¡Qué pillo eres!
d. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
He was a sly guy, always full of lies.Era un zorro, siempre mintiendo.
Man, he's a sly one, taking advantage of other people's workVaya que es zorro, aprovechándose del trabajo de los demás.
a. pícaro
"Close your eyes. I've got something to show you," he said with a sly glance."Cierra los ojos. Tengo algo que enseñarte," dijo con una mirada pícara.
b. travieso
With a sly smile, she hid the pilfered fork in her handbag.Con una sonrisa traviesa, escondió el tenedor robado en su bolso.
c. malicioso (with ill-intent)
"I wouldn't want to have to hurt anyone", said the bank robber with a sly smile."No quisiera tener que hacerle daño a nadie", dijo el atracador con una sonrisa maliciosa.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
3. (deceit)
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
It turns out my business partner was running his own operation on the sly.Resulta que mi socio llevaba otra operación a escondidas.
She found out he had been meeting a lover on the sly at a nearby motel.Se enteró de que iba encontrándose a hurtadillas con una amante en un motel cercano.
shrewd(
shrud
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (general)
b. perspicaz
I like the author's reasoning. I think he makes some very shrewd observations.Me gusta el razonamiento del autor. Me parece que hace unos comentarios muy perspicaces.
c. inteligente
She had made some shrewd investment decisions over the years, which had paid off.A lo largo de los años, había tomado decisiones inteligentes para sus inversiones, que dieron sus frutos.
d. sagaz
His shrewd eyes quickly picked out the best lots in the auction room.Sus sagaces ojos pronto identificaron los mejores lotes de la sala de subasta.
e. hábil
In a shrewd move, he sold the shares just before the stock market crash.En una hábil maniobra, vendió las acciones justo antes del crac bursátil.
