complicadas

Complicadas is the feminine plural form of the Spanish adjective complicado, meaning 'complicated' or 'difficult to deal with.' It is used to describe feminine plural nouns, as in situaciones complicadas or relaciones complicadas. The form can also function informally as a shorthand noun phrase to refer to complex matters, for example las complicadas to mean "the complicated things."

Etymology and grammar: Complicadas derives from the verb complicar, with the typical adjective formation from Latin complicatus. In Spanish, adjectives agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify, so the masculine plural is complicados, the feminine singular is complicada, and the feminine plural is complicadas. This agreement affects placement and concord in sentences such as "Las decisiones complicadas requieren deliberación" or "Una tarea complicada."

Nuance and usage: The word often signals that something has multiple factors, is not straightforward, or presents difficulty in understanding, solving, or managing. It can carry a sense of entanglement or intricacy beyond simple difficulty, but it is generally neutral rather than inherently negative. In many contexts, synonyms like difíciles or complejas may be used, each with subtle shades of meaning.

Common contexts: Complicadas appears frequently in everyday speech, journalism, and writing to describe situations, plans, relationships, problems, or processes. It may also appear in titles or headlines addressing complex topics, though it remains a descriptive term rather than a fixed proper noun.

Examples: Las relaciones complicadas entre dos personajes; Se enfrentaron a decisiones complicadas que requirieron asesoría; Hay situaciones complicadas que obligan a replantear estrategias.

See also: complicado, complejidad, relación complicada, situación complicada.