Concurrido vs. animado
The Spanish words 'concurrido' and 'animado' both are used to describe a busy place or street, but they aren't exactly synonymous. These two adjectives show nuance in the type of busyness or energy they imply.
Concurrido
'Concurrido' refers to a place with a high number of individuals, usually implying that the place can be crowded. It simply alludes to the physical presence of a large crowd.
El restaurante está siempre muy concurrido los sábados.
(The restaurant is always very crowded on Saturdays.)
La calle principal de la ciudad es una zona concurrida durante las horas pico.
(The city's main street is a bustling area during peak hours.)
El cine fue muy concurrido durante el estreno del último filme de superhéroes.
(The cinema was highly frequented during the premiere of the latest superhero film.)
Animado
'Animado' describes a scene that is lively, engaging or energetically active. This could be because it’s full of people or it has exciting events happening.
La boda era un evento muy animado, todos estaban bailando y riendo.
(The wedding was a very lively event, everyone was dancing and laughing.)
Las calles están animadas por la noche con la música de los bares locales.
(The streets are bustling at night with music from local bars.)
El mercado local es un lugar animado los fines de semana cuando los agricultores traen sus productos frescos.
(The local market is a bustling place on weekends when farmers bring their fresh produce.)
Summary
'Concurrido' and 'animado', two Spanish words that mean busy and bustling, convey different types of liveliness. 'Concurrido' mostly describes the sheer number of people in a place while 'animado' introduces an element of excitement and liveliness into the scenario.