preocupación
“preocupación” means “worry” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
worry, anxiety
Also: distress, apprehension
📝 In Action
Siento mucha preocupación por el futuro de mis hijos.
A2I feel a lot of worry about the future of my children.
La falta de sueño le causó una gran preocupación.
B1The lack of sleep caused him great anxiety.
Ella disimuló su preocupación con una sonrisa.
B1She hid her worry with a smile.
concern, matter
Also: priority
📝 In Action
La seguridad de los datos es nuestra principal preocupación.
B1Data security is our main concern (or priority).
El medio ambiente es una preocupación global para todos.
B2The environment is a global concern for everyone.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: preocupación
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the noun 'preocupación'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *praeoccupare*, which means 'to seize beforehand' or 'to take possession of in advance.' In Spanish, this evolved to mean that a thought or anxiety has 'taken possession' of your mind.
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre 'preocupación' y 'preocuparse'?
'Preocupación' is the noun, the feeling of worry itself (like 'anxiety'). 'Preocuparse' is the verb, the action of worrying (like 'to worry'). For example, 'La preocupación me hace preocuparme' (The worry makes me worry).
How do I say 'I am worried' using this word family?
You would typically use the past participle adjective: 'Estoy preocupado' (if you are male) or 'Estoy preocupada' (if you are female). While you can say 'Tengo preocupación,' 'Estoy preocupado/a' is much more natural.