frágil
adjectiveCEFR B2
What does “frágil” mean in English?
fragile — inherently weak and liable to break or collapse under pressure; precarious
fragile — inherently weak and liable to break or collapse under pressure; precarious (una paz frágil, un equilibrio frágil)
Example sentences
La paz alcanzada tras años de negociación es todavía muy frágil y podría derrumbarse ante cualquier incidente imprevisto.
The peace reached after years of negotiation is still very fragile and could collapse in the face of any unforeseen incident.
El equilibrio entre crecimiento económico y sostenibilidad ambiental es frágil: pequeñas perturbaciones pueden romperlo con facilidad.
The balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability is fragile: small disturbances can break it easily.
How to use it
Frágil (adjective) means 'fragile' or 'brittle' — easily broken, damaged, or undermined. At B2 it is used both literally (material science, objects) and abstractly (social systems, agreements, identities, health): una paz frágil, una democracia frágil, un equilibrio frágil, un estado emocional frágil. The key semantic distinction at this level is between frágil (inherently susceptible to breaking — internal fragility) and vulnerable (exposed to an external threat — relational, depends on what threatens it). Both are common in abstract discourse, and the distinction is a productive B2 register point.
Common mistake
Frágil (intrinsically weak — could break from within) vs vulnerable (exposed to external harm — dependent on context). A democracy can be both frágil (institutionally weak) and vulnerable (to specific threats). Don't conflate them — a B2 essay distinguishes these in analysis.