Emotions in Spanish: how to express your feelings

Expressing your emotions in Spanish is one of the first challenges you face when you start learning the language. Asking how someone is feeling or answering that you are having a very boring day are common expressions and phrases. In this post we are going to talk about how to express emotions in Spanish.

If you have already immersed yourself in learning Spanish and have done a bit of research into its culture and common expressions, you may have noticed that native Spanish speakers tend to be very expressive when it comes to their emotions. So, if you want to learn how to express effectively in this language, mastering emotions in Spanish is essential.

If you prefer to read this article in Spanish, click here.

Difference between emotions and feelings

Before we start with emotions in Spanish, let's differentiate them from feelings. It is a topic that generates a lot of confusion, since both concepts are related.

Emotions are automatic and universal responses of the organism to stimuli. While feelings are conscious and subjective experiences that derive in emotions.

For example, an emotion would be surprised, fear or joy, which you feel at a given moment because of an external stimulus. On the other hand, a feeling is sadness, nostalgia, love, or envy, which are influenced by past events and can last in time.

Therefore, feelings tend to be longer lasting and are influenced by cultural and personal factors. Although both are important aspects of human emotional experience and play a crucial role in everyday life and interpersonal relationships.

Emotions in Spanish

Let's start by learning the vocabulary of the most basic emotions in Spanish. Here are some very common emotions with their examples:

• Alegre (Happy). "Estoy muy feliz hoy”. (“I'm very happy today”)
• Triste (Sad). “Me siento triste porque no pude ir al concierto”. (“I feel sad because I couldn't go to the concert”)
• Enfado (Angry). “¡Estoy enfadado contigo!” (“I’m angry with you!”)
• Miedo (Fear). “Me dan miedo las arañas”. (“I’m afraid of spiders”)
• Sorprendido (Surprised). “Luis estaba sorprendido de ver a su equipo en directo” (“Luis was surprised to see his team live”)
• Emocionado (Excited). “Estoy emocionado por mi próximo viaje”. (“I'm excited about my upcoming trip”)
• Nervioso (Nervious). “Estoy nervioso porque tengo una entrevista de trabajo mañana”. (“I'm nervous because I have a job interview tomorrow.”)
• Aburrido (Bored). “Me he aburrido durante la conferencia”. (“I got bored during the conference”)
• Encantado (Delighted). “Estoy encantado de conocerte”. (“I'm delighted to meet you”)
• Enamorado (In love). “Estoy completamente enamorado de mi pareja”. (“I'm completely in love with my partner”)
• Orgulloso (Proud). “Me siento muy orgulloso de mi último proyecto”. (“I'm very proud of my last project”)
• Relajado (Relaxed). “Después de las vacaciones, me siento relajado y renovado”. (“After holydays, I feel relaxed and refreshed”)
• Aliviado (Relieved). “Estoy aliviado después de aprobar el examen”. (“I’m relieved after passing the exam")
• Satisfecho (Satisfied). “Estoy satisfecho con mi rendimiento en el proyecto”. (“I'm satisfied with my performance on the project”)
• Asustado (Frightened or Scared). “Me asusté cuando vi una sombra en la oscuridad”. (“I got scared when I saw a shadow in the dark”)
• Celoso (Jealous). “Estoy celoso de su éxito en el trabajo”. (“I am jealous of her success at work”)
• Envidioso (Envious). “Me siento envidioso de su talento musical”. (“I feel envious of his musical talent”)
• Estresado (Stressed). “Estoy muy estresado por la carga de trabajo”. (“I'm very stressed due to my workload”)
• Preocupado (Worried). “Me siento preocupado por la salud de mi abuela”. (“I feel worried about my grandmother's health”)

What should you know about emotions in Spanish?

One important thing to keep in mind is that, in Spanish, emotions are often expressed more effusively than in English. For example, when someone is happy, it is common to hear expressions like “¡Estoy super feliz!” (“I am super happy”) or “¡Estoy contentísimo!” (“I am very pleased”). This shows that emotions in Spanish can be very intense.

Another interesting aspect of emotions in Spanish is that sometimes they must agree with gender and number. For example: “Ella está contenta por haber aprobado el examen” (“She is happy that she passed the exam”); “Estoy orgullosa de tu trabajo” (“I am proud of your work”) or “Nos asustamos mucho cuando vimos aquella araña” (“We were so scared when we saw that spider”). 

On the other hand, the use of reflexive pronouns when talking about emotions in Spanish is very frequent. For example, instead of simply saying “Carlos está cansado” (“He is tired”), you can say “Carlos se cansa de estudiar tanto” (“Carlos gets tired of studing so much”) to express a more intense emotion.

We hope this guide has helped you understand how to express your emotions in Spanish. And if you really want to learn the language, we recommend that you listen to Spanish music and watch Spanish-language movies or series. But if you want to improve your level in a relaxed, comfortable environment with native Spanish speakers, sign up for the intensive Spanish courses we have at don Quijote.