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pesimista

peh-see-MEES-tah/pesiˈmista/

“pesimista” means “pessimistic” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

pessimistic

Also: gloomy, downbeat
Adjectivem or fA2
Spain
A sad person looking at a small dark rain cloud over their head while the rest of the sky is sunny.

📝 In Action

No seas tan pesimista, todo saldrá bien.

A2

Don't be so pessimistic, everything will turn out fine.

Los expertos tienen una visión pesimista de la economía.

B1

The experts have a pessimistic view of the economy.

Me parece un pronóstico un poco pesimista.

B2

That seems like a slightly gloomy forecast to me.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • negativo (negative)
  • derrotista (defeatist)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • actitud pesimista – pessimistic attitude
  • visión pesimista – pessimistic outlook
  • ser pesimista – to be a pessimistic person

Idioms & Expressions

  • verlo todo de color negro – to see the world in a very negative or pessimistic way

pessimist

Nounm or fB1
A person looking at a glass of water that is half-empty with a discouraged expression.

📝 In Action

Soy un pesimista cuando se trata del clima.

B1

I am a pessimist when it comes to the weather.

Un pesimista es un optimista con experiencia.

B2

A pessimist is an optimist with experience.

No escuches a los pesimistas.

A2

Don't listen to the pessimists.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • aguafiestas (killjoy / party pooper)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • un pesimista incurable – an incurable pessimist

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "pesimista" in Spanish:

downbeat→gloomy→pessimist→pessimistic→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pesimista

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is the correct way to say 'He is a pessimist'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
pesimismo(pessimism) — Noun
pésimo(awful / worst) — Adjective
pesimísticamente(pessimistically) — Adverb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the French 'pessimiste', which comes from the Latin word 'pessimus', meaning 'the worst'. It shares a root with the English word 'pessimism'.

First recorded: 19th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: pessimistFrench: pessimisteItalian: pessimista

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'pesimista' the same for men and women?

Yes! Whether you are talking about a man or a woman, the word 'pesimista' remains exactly the same. You only change the article (el/la/un/una) before it.

How do I know if I should use 'ser' or 'estar' with this word?

Use 'ser' for someone who always has a negative personality. Use 'estar' when someone is just being negative about a specific situation in that moment.

Is 'pesimista' a bad word?

It is not a swear word, but it does have a negative connotation. Calling someone a 'pesimista' is a way of saying they complain too much or only see the bad side of things.