preocuparnos
“preocuparnos” means “to worry (ourselves)” in Spanish (when we are the ones feeling anxious).
to worry (ourselves)
Also: to concern us
📝 In Action
No tenemos por qué preocuparnos ahora.
A2We don't have any reason to worry right now.
Empezamos a preocuparnos cuando no llamaste.
B1We started to get worried when you didn't call.
Debemos preocuparnos más por nuestra salud.
B1We should care more about our health.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: preocuparnos
Question 1 of 1
Which of these is the correct way to say 'We need to worry'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the verb 'preocupar', which comes from Latin 'praeoccupare', meaning to seize or occupy beforehand. The 'nos' is a pronoun meaning 'us'.
First recorded: 15th century (base verb)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I say 'nos preocupar' instead of 'preocuparnos'?
Not exactly. You can say 'nos podemos preocupar' (putting 'nos' at the very start of a verb pair), but if the verb is standing alone or following a preposition like 'para', the 'nos' must go at the end: 'para preocuparnos'.
What is the difference between preocupar and preocuparnos?
'Preocupar' is the general action of causing worry (like 'That problem worries me'), while 'preocuparnos' specifically means we are worrying ourselves or being concerned together.