controvertido
adjectiveCEFR B2
What does “controvertido” mean in English?
controversial, contested — giving rise to debate and strong disagreement; more formal register than polémico
controversial, contested — giving rise to debate and strong disagreement; more formal register than polémico (una decisión controvertida, un tema controvertido)
Example sentences
La decisión de demoler el edificio histórico resultó enormemente controvertida, dividiendo a los vecinos en dos bandos irreconciliables.
The decision to demolish the historic building proved enormously controversial, dividing residents into two irreconcilable camps.
El informe incluye varias propuestas controvertidas que han sido rechazadas de plano por los sindicatos.
The report includes several controversial proposals that have been flatly rejected by the trade unions.
How to use it
Controvertido (adjective) means 'controversial' — generating strong disagreement and debate because it touches on values, interests, or interpretations that people hold differently. It is a formal-register adjective, typical in journalistic, academic, and political writing. Close neighbour polémico is slightly more colloquial and implies a livelier public row; controvertido is more neutral and analytical — pointing to the presence of genuine debate without necessarily implying scandal. Common collocations: una decisión/figura/propuesta controvertida; un debate controvertido; una medida muy controvertida. The false friend trap is minimal here — 'controversial' maps well.
Common mistake
Controvertido (analytical, formal — this genuinely divides opinion) vs polémico (more colloquial — this is causing a public row). In a newspaper editorial, both work; in an academic paper, prefer controvertido. Don't confuse with conflictivo (conflict-prone, tense — refers more to situations likely to produce conflict than to intellectual disagreement).