presión

/preh-SYOHN/

pressure

A tiny, worried rabbit is sitting on the ground, overwhelmed by a huge stack of colorful, imposing geometric shapes pressing down near them, symbolizing stress and demanding situations.

Presión refers to stress or a demanding situation.

presión(Noun)

fA2

pressure

stress, demanding situation

pressure

coercion, influence

Also:

stress

mental burden

demand

expectations placed on someone

📝 In Action

Siento mucha presión en el trabajo para terminar el proyecto.

I feel a lot of pressure at work to finish the project.

El director ejerció presión sobre el equipo para que aceptaran el trato.

The director put pressure on the team so they would accept the deal.

No te preocupes por la nota, no tienes que vivir bajo presión constante.

Don't worry about the grade, you don't have to live under constant pressure.

Word Connections

Synonyms

estrés (stress)
coacción (coercion)

Common Collocations

estar bajo presión – to be under pressure
ejercer presión – to exert pressure (on someone)

Idioms & Expressions

meter presión – to rush or press someone

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'Pressure'

To talk about putting pressure ON someone, use the verb 'ejercer' (to exert) or 'poner' (to put) followed by 'presión sobre alguien'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Direct Translation Mistake

Mistake: "Usar 'la presión me hizo...' (The pressure made me...)"

Correction: Say 'Bajo la presión, tuve que...' (Under pressure, I had to...). 'Presión' is usually treated as a circumstance you are under, not an active agent.

⭐ Usage Tips

A Common Way to Express Stress

When talking about feeling stressed due to expectations, the most natural phrase is 'sentir presión' (to feel pressure).

A large, stylized hand is pressing down firmly on a bright yellow, bouncy ball, causing the ball to visibly compress and deform against a flat surface, illustrating physical force per unit area.

Presión is physical force applied over an area, often studied in physics.

presión(Noun)

fB1

pressure

physical force per unit area (physics)

Also:

blood pressure

medical

tension

physical stress

📝 In Action

Necesitas tomarte la presión arterial después de caminar.

You need to take your blood pressure after walking.

La olla a presión cocina la carne mucho más rápido.

The pressure cooker cooks the meat much faster.

A esta altitud, la presión atmosférica es mucho más baja.

At this altitude, the atmospheric pressure is much lower.

Word Connections

Synonyms

tensión (tension)

Antonyms

vacío (vacuum (lack of pressure))

Common Collocations

presión arterial – blood pressure
alta/baja presión – high/low pressure
presión atmosférica – atmospheric pressure

💡 Grammar Points

Feminine Noun

Remember that 'presión' is always feminine, so you must use 'la presión', 'mucha presión', or 'esta presión'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Talking about Health

When talking about blood pressure, Spanish speakers almost always use the full term: 'presión arterial'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: presión

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'presión' in its physical (force) sense?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

presionar(to press, to pressure (verb)) - verb

presurizar(to pressurize) - verb

compresión(compression) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'presión' countable? Can I say 'dos presiones'?

'Presión' is usually treated as an uncountable concept (like 'water' or 'air'). You would say 'mucha presión' (a lot of pressure) or 'diferentes tipos de presión' (different types of pressure), but rarely 'dos presiones'.

How do I say 'pressure cooker'?

The specific Spanish term is 'olla a presión,' literally 'pot at pressure.' This phrase is very common.