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envidiar

en-bee-DYAR/enbiˈðjaɾ/

“envidiar” means “to envy” in Spanish (feeling a desire for someone else's traits or possessions).

to envy

Also: to begrudge, to wish one had
VerbB1regular ar
General
A child looking longingly at another child's colorful toy airplane.
gerundenvidiando
past Participleenvidiado
infinitiveenvidiar

📝 In Action

No deberías envidiar el éxito de los demás.

A2

You shouldn't envy the success of others.

Todos envidian su capacidad para hablar cinco idiomas.

B1

Everyone envies her ability to speak five languages.

Si fueras más feliz, no envidiarías tanto a tu vecino.

B2

If you were happier, you wouldn't envy your neighbor so much.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • codiciar (to covet)
  • celar (to be jealous of)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • envidiar sanamente – to have 'healthy' envy (admire without malice)
  • no tener nada que envidiar – to have nothing to envy (to be just as good)
  • envidiar la suerte de alguien – to envy someone's luck

Idioms & Expressions

  • morirse de envidia – to be green with envy

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesenvidiaran
yoenvidiara
túenvidiaras
vosotrosenvidiarais
nosotrosenvidiáramos
él/ella/ustedenvidiara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesenvidien
yoenvidie
túenvidies
vosotrosenvidiéis
nosotrosenvidiemos
él/ella/ustedenvidie

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesenvidiaron
yoenvidié
túenvidiaste
vosotrosenvidiasteis
nosotrosenvidiamos
él/ella/ustedenvidió

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesenvidiaban
yoenvidiaba
túenvidiabas
vosotrosenvidiabais
nosotrosenvidiábamos
él/ella/ustedenvidiaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesenvidian
yoenvidio
túenvidias
vosotrosenvidiáis
nosotrosenvidiamos
él/ella/ustedenvidia
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "envidiar" in Spanish:

to begrudge→to envy→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: envidiar

Question 1 of 3

How do you say 'I envy you' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
envidia(envy) — Noun
envidioso(envious) — Adjective
envidiable(enviable) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'invidere', which literally means 'to look against' or 'to look askance at' someone with a bad eye.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: envyFrench: envier

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'envidiar' always negative?

Not necessarily. While it usually implies a bit of jealousy, adding 'sanamente' (healthily) makes it a compliment about something you admire in another person.

What's the difference between 'envidiar' and 'tener envidia'?

They mean the same thing. 'Envidiar' is the action (to envy), while 'tener envidia' is the state (to have envy). Both are very common.

Does this word require a special preposition?

Only the 'personal a' when you are envying a person (e.g., 'Envidio a mi hermano').