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A young child with wide eyes and a beaming smile, jumping high into the air with their arms extended, surrounded by bright colors, illustrating a feeling of pure happiness.

emocional

eh-moh-syoh-NAHL

adjectivem/fA2
emotional?related to feelings or psyche,affective?psychological term for mood
Also:feeling-based?describing a decision or reaction

📝 In Action

Ella necesita apoyo emocional después de la pérdida.

B1

She needs emotional support after the loss.

La inteligencia emocional es clave para manejar los conflictos.

B2

Emotional intelligence is key to managing conflicts.

Tuvimos una conversación muy emocional sobre el futuro.

A2

We had a very emotional conversation about the future.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • sentimental (sentimental)
  • afectivo (affective)

Antonyms

  • racional (rational)
  • lógico (logical)

Common Collocations

  • salud emocional – emotional health
  • impacto emocional – emotional impact
  • carga emocional – emotional burden

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective Agreement (Invariable Form)

This adjective is special because its ending (-al) does not change based on the gender of the noun. It works for both masculine and feminine nouns (el apoyo emocional, la salud emocional). You only change it for plural: emocionales.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing 'Emocional' and 'Emotivo'

Mistake: "Using 'emocional' when you mean 'moving' or 'touching' (e.g., *una película emocional*)."

Correction: Use 'emotivo/a' (or 'conmovedor/a') when describing something that causes a strong feeling in others, like a movie or a song. Use 'emocional' only to describe something *related* to emotion, like a process or state (e.g., 'una respuesta emocional').

⭐ Usage Tips

Adverb Form

To turn 'emocional' into an adverb (like 'emotionally' in English), just add '-mente' to the feminine singular form: 'emocionalmente.' This is very common in formal speaking.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: emocional

Question 1 of 1

Which Spanish phrase correctly describes a person's state of mind related to feelings?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

emoción(emotion/excitement) - noun
emocionarse(to get emotional/excited) - verb
emotivo/a(moving/touching (causing emotion)) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'emocional' change based on if the noun is masculine or feminine?

No. 'Emocional' is one of those adjectives that stays the same for both masculine and feminine nouns (e.g., 'el dolor emocional' and 'la ayuda emocional'). It only changes form when the noun is plural, becoming 'emocionales'.