Arriesgado vs. riesgoso
In Spanish, both 'arriesgado' and 'riesgoso' translate to 'risky' in English, but they are used in slightly different contexts and can convey different nuances.
Arriesgado
The word 'arriesgado' generally refers to someone or something that is daring or venturesome. It can describe actions, people, or situations that involve a high level of risk.
Tomar esa decisión fue muy arriesgado.
(Taking that decision was very risky.)
Él es un empresario arriesgado que siempre invierte en proyectos innovadores.
(He is a daring entrepreneur who always invests in innovative projects.)
Esta película tiene algunas escenas bastante arriesgadas.
(This movie has some quite daring scenes.)
Riesgoso
'Riesgoso', on the other hand, often carries the implication of something being potentially hazardous or dangerous. It emphasizes more the dangerous nature rather than the daring aspect.
Es riesgoso caminar solo por esa zona de noche.
(It is risky to walk alone in that area at night.)
El trabajo en la construcción puede ser muy riesgoso si no se siguen las medidas de seguridad adecuadas.
(Construction work can be very risky if proper safety measures are not followed.)
El negocio tiene un componente financiero muy riesgoso.
(The business has a very risky financial component.)
Summary
'Arriesgado' typically describes actions or people that are daring and venture into risky areas. In contrast, 'riesgoso' tends to describe scenarios or things that are inherently dangerous or hazardous. Understanding these nuances helps choose the right word depending on whether you're emphasizing boldness ('arriesgado') or danger ('riesgoso').