desconfiar
“desconfiar” means “to distrust” in Spanish (to have no confidence in someone).
to distrust
Also: to mistrust, to be wary of
📝 In Action
No debes desconfiar de tus amigos.
A2You shouldn't distrust your friends.
Ella desconfía de las promesas del político.
B1She is suspicious of the politician's promises.
Empecé a desconfiar cuando noté que faltaba dinero.
B2I started to get suspicious when I noticed money was missing.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: desconfiar
Question 1 of 3
Which of these is the correct way to say 'I distrust him'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Formed by adding the prefix 'des-' (meaning 'opposite' or 'not') to the verb 'confiar' (to trust), which comes from Latin 'confidere'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'no confiar' and 'desconfiar'?
'No confiar' simply means you don't have trust, while 'desconfiar' is more active and often implies you are suspicious or wary.
Do I always need to use 'de' after this verb?
Yes, whenever you are mentioning what or who you distrust, you must follow the verb with 'de'.
Is 'desconfiar' a regular verb?
Mostly, yes! It follows the pattern of -ar verbs, but you have to remember to add an accent to the 'i' in forms where that syllable is stressed (like the present tense).