Inklingo
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A group of people huddled together looking nervously at a large, dark shadow on the wall.

temen

TEH-mehn

verbA2regular er
they fear?when a group of people is afraid of something,you all fear?addressing a group of people formally in a scary context
Also:they suspect?when they are worried or have a feeling that something bad might happen

Quick Reference

gerundtemiendo
past Participletemido
infinitivetemer

📝 In Action

Ellos le temen a la oscuridad.

A1

They are afraid of the dark.

Ustedes temen perder el partido.

A2

You all fear losing the match.

Muchos ciudadanos temen que los impuestos suban.

B1

Many citizens fear that taxes will go up.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • recelan (they suspect/distrust)
  • tienen miedo (they have fear)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • temen lo peor – they fear the worst
  • temen por su vida – they fear for their life

💡 Grammar Points

Who is doing the action?

This specific form 'temen' is used only when the people fearing are 'them' (ellos/ellas) or 'you all' (ustedes).

Using 'que'

When you want to say 'they fear THAT something will happen,' use 'temen que' followed by a special verb form (the subjunctive) to show it is a worry, not a fact.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Temen vs. Teman

Mistake: "Using 'ellos teman' to say 'they fear'."

Correction: Use 'ellos temen' for a simple statement. 'Teman' is only for commands or special 'wishing' sentences.

⭐ Usage Tips

Sounding Natural

If you want to sound more casual, people often say 'tienen miedo' instead of 'temen,' which sounds slightly more formal or dramatic.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedestemieran
yotemiera
tútemieras
vosotrostemierais
nosotrostemiéramos
él/ella/ustedtemiera

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesteman
yotema
tútemas
vosotrostemáis
nosotrostemamos
él/ella/ustedtema

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedestemieron
yotemí
tútemiste
vosotrostemisteis
nosotrostemimos
él/ella/ustedtemió

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedestemían
yotemía
tútemías
vosotrostemíais
nosotrostemíamos
él/ella/ustedtemía

present

ellos/ellas/ustedestemen
yotemo
tútemes
vosotrosteméis
nosotrostememos
él/ella/ustedteme
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: temen

Question 1 of 1

How do you say 'They fear the storm' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

temor(fear) - noun
temible(fearsome) - adjective
temeroso(fearful) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'temen' mean 'you all'?

Yes! In Spain and Latin America, 'temen' is used for 'ustedes' (you all), though in Spain it is specifically for the formal 'you all'.

Is it different from 'tener miedo'?

Meaning-wise, they are the same. 'Tener miedo' is like saying 'to have fear,' while 'temen' is the direct verb 'they fear.' 'Temen' is often used in more formal or written contexts.