Inklingo

preocupes

preh-oh-KOO-pehspɾeoˈkupes

preocupes means (don't) worry in Spanish (used to tell a friend not to do something (negative command)).

(don't) worry

Also: you worry
VerbA1pronominal arinformal
A small, distressed child being comforted by a friendly adult, with a dark cloud of worry floating harmlessly away into the sky.
infinitivepreocuparse
gerundpreocupándose
past Participlepreocupado

📝 In Action

No te preocupes, todo va a estar bien.

A1

Don't worry, everything is going to be okay.

Espero que no te preocupes demasiado por el examen.

B1

I hope you don't worry too much about the exam.

Dime la verdad para que no te preocupes más.

B2

Tell me the truth so you don't worry anymore.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • inquietarse (to get uneasy)
  • angustiarse (to get anxious)

Antonyms

  • tranquilizarse (to calm down)
  • relajarse (to relax)

Common Collocations

  • No te preocupes por eso.Don't worry about that.
  • Es normal que te preocupes.It's normal for you to worry.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedse preocupa
yome preocupo
te preocupas
ellos/ellas/ustedesse preocupan
nosotrosnos preocupamos
vosotrosos preocupáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedse preocupaba
yome preocupaba
te preocupabas
ellos/ellas/ustedesse preocupaban
nosotrosnos preocupábamos
vosotrosos preocupabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedse preocupó
yome preocupé
te preocupaste
ellos/ellas/ustedesse preocuparon
nosotrosnos preocupamos
vosotrosos preocupasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedse preocupe
yome preocupe
te preocupes
ellos/ellas/ustedesse preocupen
nosotrosnos preocupemos
vosotrosos preocupéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedse preocupara
yome preocupara
te preocuparas
ellos/ellas/ustedesse preocuparan
nosotrosnos preocupáramos
vosotrosos preocuparais

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "preocupes" in Spanish:

you worry

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: preocupes

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly tells a friend not to worry?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
ocupesagrupes
📚 Etymology

Comes from the Latin verb 'praeoccupāre', which meant 'to seize beforehand'. It's a combination of 'prae-' (before) and 'occupāre' (to occupy). The idea is that a worry 'occupies' your mind before something has even happened.

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: preoccupyFrench: préoccuper

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'No te preocupes' and 'No se preocupe'?

Both mean 'Don't worry,' but they show different levels of formality. 'No te preocupes' is informal and friendly, used with people you call 'tú'. 'No se preocupe' is formal, used with people you call 'usted', like a stranger, an older person, or a boss.

Why is it 'preocupes' and not 'preocupas' in a sentence like 'Espero que no te preocupes'?

In Spanish, after words that express hopes, doubts, or emotions (like 'espero que...', meaning 'I hope that...'), you need to switch to a special verb mood called the subjunctive. It signals that what you're talking about isn't a sure fact. For the verb 'preocuparse', the 'tú' form in this mood is 'preocupes'.