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miedo

myeh-dohˈmje.ðo

“miedo” means “fear” in Spanish (the general emotion).

fear

Also: scare, dread
NounmA2
A small, wide-eyed child is huddled under a brightly colored blanket, looking nervously at the floor where long, exaggerated blue shadows are cast by an unseen light source.

📝 In Action

Tengo miedo de la oscuridad.

A1

I'm afraid of the dark.

El niño gritó de miedo al ver el monstruo.

A2

The child screamed with fear upon seeing the monster.

No tengas miedo, es solo un perro pequeño.

A2

Don't be afraid, it's just a small dog.

Su mayor miedo es hablar en público.

B1

His biggest fear is public speaking.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • temor (dread, fear)
  • pavor (terror, dread)
  • terror (terror)

Antonyms

  • valentía (bravery)
  • coraje (courage)

Common Collocations

  • tener miedo de/a algo/alguien – to be afraid of something/someone
  • dar miedo – to be scary, to scare
  • morirse de miedo – to be scared to death
  • meter miedo a alguien – to scare someone, to intimidate

Idioms & Expressions

  • pasar un miedo de muerte – to be scared stiff, to have a terrifying experience
  • un miedo cerval – a terrible, irrational fear

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "miedo" in Spanish:

dread→fear→scare→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: miedo

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly says 'The clowns are scary'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
miedoso/a(fearful, timid) — Adjective
amedrentar(to frighten, to intimidate) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word `metus`, which meant 'fear', 'dread', or 'anxiety'. Over the centuries, the pronunciation softened and shifted to become the `miedo` we use today.

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: medoGalician: medo

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between `miedo` and `temor`?

`Miedo` is the most common, everyday word for 'fear'. `Temor` is a bit more formal or literary, and often suggests a deeper sense of dread or apprehension. For most conversations, `miedo` is the perfect choice.

Can I say 'Tengo miedo que...' to talk about being afraid that something will happen?

Yes, but be careful! When you do this, the next verb needs to change into a special form (called the subjunctive). For example, 'Tengo miedo de que **llueva**' (I'm afraid that it will rain). You'll learn more about this as you advance!