Pelado vs. peludo
The Spanish words pelado and peludo may look similar but have entirely different meanings. This article will illustrate their differences with various examples.
Pelado
A2Pelado means bare, peeled, or colloquially, bald. It describes something or someone that has no covering of hair, skin, or other surface layer.
El terreno está pelado después del terremoto.
(The land is bare after the earthquake.)
Compré almendras peladas para la receta.
(I bought peeled almonds for the recipe.)
Desde que se quedó pelado, prefiere llevar sombrero.
(Since he went bald, he prefers to wear a hat.)
Peludo
A2Peludo means hairy or furry. It describes something or someone covered with a significant amount of hair or fur.
El perro de Pedro es muy peludo.
(Pedro's dog is very hairy.)
Los osos polares son peludos para protegerse del frío.
(Polar bears are furry to protect themselves from the cold.)
No me gusta cuando las frutas están peludas por el moho.
(I don't like it when fruits are hairy because of mold.)
Summary
Pelado refers to something bare or without a covering (like skin, hair, or shell), and can also colloquially mean bald. Peludo, on the other hand, means hairy or furry, describing someone or something covered with hair or fur.