How to Say Very Strong in Spanish | Sound Natural, Not Stiff

Use stronger intensifiers like “sumamente,” “tan,” and “de lo más + adjetivo” to add force without repeating the same word.

You want to say “very strong” in Spanish, but you don’t want to sound like a textbook. That’s normal. Spanish has a bunch of ways to push intensity, and the best choice depends on what you’re describing: a person, a coffee, a smell, a wind, a password, a workout, a feeling.

This article gives you the options that native speakers reach for, plus the patterns that keep you from translating word-for-word. You’ll get ready-to-steal phrases, small grammar fixes, and a few “don’t say it like that” notes that save you from awkward lines.

What “Strong” Means In Spanish

English “strong” covers a lot. Spanish splits that meaning across several words. Pick the base word first, then add intensity.

Choose The Base Word Before You Add Intensity

• Fuerte: the all-purpose “strong.” A person, a smell, a flavor, a wind, a noise, an argument. It’s the safe default.
• Potente: “powerful” in the sense of output. An engine, a speaker, a computer, a tool, a medicine (in some contexts). It’s common in tech and product talk.
• Intenso / intensa: strong as “intense.” A flavor, a perfume, an emotion, a debate, a day.
• Resistente: strong as “tough/durable.” A material, a phone case, a backpack, a fabric.
• Firme: strong as “steady/firm.” A handshake, a stance, a decision, a voice, a grip.

If you say “fuerte” for everything, you’ll be understood. If you match the base word to the context, you’ll sound sharper right away.

How to Say Very Strong in Spanish For Real Conversations

Here are the clean, natural ways to push intensity once you’ve chosen your base word. Mix them. Don’t lock yourself into one.

Option 1: Use A Stronger Intensifier Than The Usual One

Sumamente is a direct “to the highest degree” intensifier. It’s clear, correct, and works across contexts. The Real Academia Española lists it as “en sumo grado.” “Sumamente” (RAE DLE)

Try it with common “strong” words:

• sumamente fuerte (formal-leaning, clean)
• sumamente potente (power output, products)
• sumamente intenso (flavor, emotion, sensation)
• sumamente resistente (durability)

Enormemente is also useful when the idea is “to a huge degree.” RAE defines it as “de manera enorme.” “Enormemente” (RAE DLE)

Quick usage notes that keep you sounding natural:

• “Sumamente” feels more formal than casual chat, but it’s not stiff. It’s common in writing and polite speech.
• “Enormemente” often pairs well with reactions and effects: me ayudó enormemente, me afectó enormemente.
• When you mean physical force (a person is strong), fuerte is fine. If you mean “powerful” like a motor, potente usually fits better.

Option 2: Use “Tan” And Let The Context Carry The Punch

Tan means “so,” and it can hit hard when the context is clear. It’s simple, natural, and common in speech.

• Es tan fuerte. (That’s so strong.)
• Está tan intenso. (That’s so intense.)
• Huele tan fuerte. (It smells so strong.)

Small grammar tip: tan goes with adjectives and adverbs, while tanto goes with nouns or verbs in other patterns. If you want the grammar-backed breakdown, RAE’s grammar notes classify and explain these degree adverbs. Adverbios de cantidad (RAE)

Option 3: Use Phrases Native Speakers Lean On

Spanish often punches up intensity with set phrases. These sound natural because they’re built the way people already speak.

• de lo más + adjetivo: Es de lo más fuerte. / Es de lo más intenso.
• bien + adjetivo (casual in many places): Está bien fuerte. / Huele bien fuerte.
• con toda su fuerza: Golpeó con toda su fuerza.
• a más no poder (strong, idiomatic): Está cansado a más no poder. (use it with states more than objects)

That “bien + adjetivo” pattern is common in everyday speech in many regions, yet it can sound off in formal writing. Use it in talk, texts, and casual posts.

Option 4: Swap “Strong” For A More Exact Word

Sometimes the best move is not a bigger intensifier. It’s a better adjective.

• un café cargado: a strong coffee (strength as concentration)
• un olor penetrante: a strong smell (it “cuts through”)
• un viento huracanado / un viento fuerte: a strong wind (depends on the level and tone)
• una contraseña segura: a strong password (security meaning)
• un argumento sólido: a strong argument (logic meaning)

This is where you start sounding less like you translated and more like you meant it.

Quick Picks By Context

Use this section as your “grab-and-go” set. Start with a base word, then plug in an intensifier or a phrase that matches the moment.

Physical Strength

If you mean muscles or force, fuerte works:

• Está sumamente fuerte. (more polished)
• Está tan fuerte. (more conversational)
• Tiene una fuerza tremenda. (big emphasis; “tremenda” is common, tone depends on region)

Flavor, Smell, And Sensation

For taste and smell, people often talk about intensity more than “strength.” These are common:

• Sabe sumamente intenso.
• Huele bien fuerte.
• Tiene un sabor potente.
• Es un olor penetrante.

Machines, Sound, And Performance

When the idea is power output, potente fits nicely:

• Ese motor es sumamente potente.
• Los altavoces suenan tan fuerte.
• La linterna es de lo más potente.

Emotions And Reactions

For feelings, intenso is often a better base than fuerte:

• Fue una emoción sumamente intensa.
• Me afectó enormemente.
• Lo viví con mucha intensidad.

RAE’s glossary notes that “muy” works as a degree adverb placed before adjectives and adverbs. That’s the core grammar that makes all these patterns behave. Adverbio de cantidad (RAE)

Intensity Options That Work Almost Everywhere

Here’s a broad set you can use across common situations. Mix and match, and keep the tone in mind.

Some choices lean formal, some lean casual. None of these require fancy grammar. They’re mostly plug-in patterns.

Table 1: after ~40%

Spanish Choice	Best With	Tone And Notes
sumamente + adj.	fuerte, potente, intenso, resistente	Polished; safe in writing and speech
enormemente + adj./verb	efecto, ayuda, impacto, cambiar	Pairs well with effects and reactions
tan + adj./adv.	any adjective/adverb	Everyday; relies on context
de lo más + adj.	descriptions of things and people	Natural; lightly emphatic
bien + adj.	fuerte, rico, cansado, claro	Casual; common in many regions
con toda su fuerza	actions like push, hit, pull	Clear for physical force
una fuerza tremenda	people, animals, impact	Big emphasis; tone shifts by region
un olor penetrante	smell	More precise than “fuerte”
un argumento sólido	reasoning, claims	More precise than “fuerte”
una contraseña segura	security	Natural for “strong password”

Small Fixes That Prevent Common Mistakes

These are the little things that make your Spanish sound clean.

Don’t Force Word-For-Word Translations

“Strong coffee” is the classic trap. Café fuerte can work in casual speech, yet many speakers prefer café cargado when they mean concentration. If you’re ordering, un café cargado usually lands well.

Put The Intensifier In The Right Spot

Degree words normally go right before the adjective or adverb:

• sumamente fuerte
• tan rápido
• bien claro

If you start stacking intensifiers, it can sound messy. Pick one strong option and let it breathe.

Match The Register To The Moment

If you’re writing a formal email, sumamente fits. If you’re texting a friend about a sauce that hits hard, está bien fuerte feels natural. If you’re describing a speaker’s volume, suena tan fuerte is plain and clear.

Ready-To-Use Phrases You Can Copy

Here are sentence patterns that work in daily life. Swap the adjective and keep the structure.

When Something Hits Hard (Taste, Smell, Sensation)

• Está bien fuerte. (casual)
• Es sumamente intenso. (more polished)
• Tiene un olor penetrante. (more exact)

When You Mean Power Output

• Es sumamente potente.
• Funciona con una potencia brutal. (informal punch; choose with care)
• Rinde de lo más bien. (casual; “performs great” tone)

When You Mean Physical Force

• Golpeó con toda su fuerza.
• Tiene una fuerza tremenda.
• Está tan firme que no cede.

Table 2: after ~60%

English Intent	Spanish Pattern	When It Fits
“Very strong” (general)	sumamente + fuerte	Neutral, clean, broad use
“Strong smell”	olor penetrante / huele bien fuerte	Precise vs casual, depending on tone
“Strong flavor”	sabor intenso	Food, drinks, sauces
“Strong coffee”	café cargado	Strength as concentration
“Powerful engine”	motor potente	Machines and performance
“Strong argument”	argumento sólido	Reasoning and persuasion
“Strong material”	material resistente	Durability and toughness
“Strong impact on me”	me afectó enormemente	Emotional or practical effect

A Simple Practice Routine That Sticks

You don’t need drills that feel like homework. You need repetition in a few clean patterns. Here’s a simple way to lock these in.

Step 1: Pick Three Base Words

Start with fuerte, potente, and intenso. Those cover most daily use.

Step 2: Add Three Intensity Patterns

• sumamente + adj.
• tan + adj.
• de lo más + adj.

Step 3: Make Nine Sentences You’ll Actually Say

Write them in the notes app, then say them out loud once a day for a week. Keep them short.

• Este perfume es sumamente intenso.
• El motor es sumamente potente.
• El viento está tan fuerte.
• Huele bien fuerte.
• Es de lo más resistente.
• Me ayudó enormemente.
• Ese argumento es sólido.
• Quiero un café cargado.
• Golpeó con toda su fuerza.

After a week, you’ll stop searching for words mid-sentence. You’ll just say them.

One Last Check Before You Speak Or Write

If you want a fast self-check, ask yourself two things:

• What kind of “strong” do I mean? Power, intensity, durability, firmness, security, or force.
• What tone do I want? Casual (bien fuerte, tan) or polished (sumamente, enormemente).

Once you choose those, the Spanish line almost writes itself.

How to Say Very Strong in Spanish Without Sounding Repetitive

If you only learn one thing, let it be this: Spanish gives you multiple clean paths. Swap the base word when the meaning shifts, then rotate intensifiers like sumamente, tan, and de lo más. Your Spanish will sound natural, and you’ll avoid that “same word again” feeling.