infeliz
/een-feh-LEEZ/
unhappy
When feeling sad or down, a person is described as infeliz (unhappy).
📝 In Action
Después de perder su trabajo, se sintió muy infeliz durante meses.
A2After losing his job, he felt very unhappy for months.
Ella era una niña infeliz, siempre sola en el recreo.
A2She was an unhappy child, always alone during recess.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Agreement (Gender)
Since 'infeliz' ends in 'z', it is the same for both masculine and feminine people and things (e.g., 'el hombre infeliz' and 'la mujer infeliz').
Adjective Agreement (Plural)
To make it plural, you change the 'z' to 'c' and add 'es': 'infeliz' becomes 'infelices' (e.g., 'las personas infelices').
⭐ Usage Tips
Ser vs. Estar
Use 'ser' (es) to describe someone who is generally an unhappy person, and 'estar' (está) to describe someone who is temporarily sad or in a miserable state.
The word infeliz can describe an unfortunate or unlucky situation.
infeliz(Adjective)
unfortunate
?describing a situation or outcome
ill-fated
?doomed to failure or bad luck
📝 In Action
El infeliz incidente resultó en la pérdida de todas sus posesiones.
B1The unfortunate incident resulted in the loss of all their possessions.
Tuvieron un infeliz final, separándose después de un año.
B2They had an ill-fated ending, separating after one year.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Contexts
This meaning is often found in written or slightly more formal language when discussing historical events or unavoidable disasters.
As a noun, infeliz refers to a wretch, a person deserving of pity or contempt.
infeliz(Noun)
wretch
?a person deserving of pity or contempt
poor soul
?expressing deep pity
,scoundrel
?used as a strong insult or jibe
📝 In Action
¡Ese infeliz me robó la cartera!
B2That scoundrel stole my wallet!
Pobre infeliz, perdió todo en el incendio.
B2Poor wretch (or poor soul), he lost everything in the fire.
💡 Grammar Points
Use as a Noun
When used as a person, you must use an article ('el' or 'la') before it, even though the word 'infeliz' itself doesn't change its ending for gender.
⭐ Usage Tips
Tone Matters
The meaning of 'infeliz' as a noun depends entirely on your tone. It can be a term of genuine sympathy (like 'poor thing') or a harsh insult (like 'idiot' or 'jerk').
✏️ 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
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.