Today’s Spanish word of the day is “tiquismiquis”.
It can be used as an adjective, or as a masculine noun that can be singular or plural depending on the context.
As an adjective, it can be translated as “fussy” or picky”. As a noun in singular form, it can mean “fusspot”, “stickler” or “pedant”, while in plural form, it refers to petty details.
The word comes from the Latin expression “tibi, michi”, meaning “for you, for me”.
Latin was widely used by educated people in Europe in the Middle Ages, and “tiquismiquis” probably acquired its current meaning due to pedantic people overusing certain Latin phrases such as “tibi, michi” in arguments and discussions.
Example Sentences
Beginner
Here are some example sentences at beginner (A1/A2) level:
Mi mamá es un poco tiquismiquis con la limpieza de la casa.
My mom is a bit fussy about the cleanliness of the house.
El niño es muy tiquismiquis con la comida, no le gusta nada.
The child is very picky about food, he doesn’t like anything.
A Marta le gusta todo muy ordenado, es un poco tiquismiquis.
Marta likes everything very tidy, she’s a bit fussy.
Intermediate
Here are some example sentences at intermediate (B1/B2) level:
No seas tan tiquismiquis con los detalles, lo importante es disfrutar del momento.
Don’t be so fussy about the details, the important thing is to enjoy the moment.
Mi jefe es un poco tiquismiquis con la puntualidad, siempre quiere que lleguemos cinco minutos antes.
My boss is a bit fussy about punctuality, he always wants us to arrive five minutes early.
Mi amigo es muy tiquismiquis con la música, solo escucha canciones de ciertos géneros.
My friend is very fussy about music, he only listens to songs from certain genres.
Advanced
Here are some example sentences at advanced (C1/C2) level:
La diseñadora de interiores fue tiquismiquis en cada detalle de la decoración del apartamento, asegurándose de que cada elemento estuviera en armonía.
The interior designer was meticulous about every detail of the apartment’s decoration, ensuring that each element was in harmony.
Mi abuela siempre fue un poco tiquismiquis con la ortografía, corrigiendo cada error en mis redacciones con un bolígrafo rojo.
My grandmother was always a bit fussy about spelling, correcting every mistake in my compositions with a red pen.
La directora del proyecto es tiquismiquis con los plazos de entrega, siempre exige puntualidad absoluta.
The project manager is finicky about deadlines, always demanding absolute punctuality.
