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infeliz

een-feh-LEEZinfeˈliθ

unhappy

Also: miserable, joyless
A small child sitting alone, looking sad and holding a single wilted flower.

📝 In Action

Después de perder su trabajo, se sintió muy infeliz durante meses.

A2

After losing his job, he felt very unhappy for months.

Ella era una niña infeliz, siempre sola en el recreo.

A2

She was an unhappy child, always alone during recess.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • triste (sad)
  • desdichado (unfortunate, unhappy)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • vida infeliz – unhappy life
  • persona infeliz – unhappy person

unfortunate

Also: ill-fated
A person standing in the rain looking surprised as a gust of wind has flipped their brightly colored umbrella inside out.

📝 In Action

El infeliz incidente resultó en la pérdida de todas sus posesiones.

B1

The unfortunate incident resulted in the loss of all their possessions.

Tuvieron un infeliz final, separándose después de un año.

B2

They had an ill-fated ending, separating after one year.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • resultado infeliz – unfortunate result

wretch

Also: poor soul, scoundrel
Nounm/fB2informal
A solitary figure wrapped tightly in a thin, worn blanket, sitting on a simple wooden bench and looking forlorn.

📝 In Action

¡Ese infeliz me robó la cartera!

B2

That scoundrel stole my wallet!

Pobre infeliz, perdió todo en el incendio.

B2

Poor wretch (or poor soul), he lost everything in the fire.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • tonto (fool)
  • miserable (wretch)

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: infeliz

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'infeliz' to describe a general lack of good fortune, rather than sadness?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

'Infeliz' comes directly from Latin. It is formed by adding the negative prefix 'in-' (meaning 'not') to the word 'feliz' (meaning 'happy' or 'fortunate'). It literally means 'not happy' or 'unlucky'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: infelizItalian: infelice

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'infeliz' change based on if I'm talking about a man or a woman?

No, 'infeliz' is what we call an adjective with one ending. You use the exact same form for both masculine and feminine nouns: 'un hombre infeliz' and 'una mujer infeliz'.

Is 'infeliz' a strong word for 'sad'?

Yes, it is stronger than 'triste' (sad). 'Infeliz' means 'unhappy' or 'miserable,' suggesting a deeper, more lasting state of unhappiness or misfortune.