denso
adjectiveCEFR B2
What does “denso” mean in English?
dense — thick or concentrated
dense — thick or concentrated (physically or intellectually); hard to penetrate (texto denso, niebla densa)
Example sentences
El texto es demasiado denso para leerlo de un tirón; es necesario tomarse tiempo entre secciones.
The text is too dense to read in one sitting; it is necessary to take time between sections.
La niebla estaba tan densa que los conductores apenas podían ver a diez metros de distancia.
The fog was so thick that drivers could barely see ten metres ahead.
La red de carreteras de la región es densamente tupida, lo que facilita la conectividad entre municipios.
The road network in the region is densely woven, which facilitates connectivity between municipalities.
How to use it
Denso/a means 'dense' — concentrated, thick, or hard to penetrate (physical or figurative). Takes ser for intrinsic quality. In the physical sense: tráfico denso (heavy traffic), niebla densa (thick fog), un bosque denso (a dense forest). In the intellectual sense: un texto denso (a dense text — packed with meaning, hard to parse), una argumentación densa (a dense argument). For audience/population density: una zona densamente poblada. Note: denso with estar can occur for temporary conditions — 'la niebla está muy densa esta mañana'.
Common mistake
Denso covers both physical density (thick, heavy) and intellectual/conceptual density (packed with information, hard to follow). In the physical sense, estar is natural for a temporary condition ('the fog is thick this morning'). For abstract/intrinsic density of a text or system, ser is used: 'este libro es muy denso'. Don't confuse denso with pesado (heavy in weight, or boring/tedious in informal register).