Inklingo

How to Say "dependency" in Spanish

English → Spanish

dependencia

deh-pehn-DEN-syahdepenˈdenθja

nounB1general
Use 'dependencia' when referring to a general reliance or need for something or someone, such as economic reliance or relying on a specific resource.
A small baby bird in a nest opening its beak wide while its mother feeds it a worm.

Examples

La salud de la economía local tiene una gran dependencia de la industria turística.

The health of the local economy has a great dependency on the tourism industry.

Muchos países quieren reducir su dependencia del petróleo.

Many countries want to reduce their dependency on oil.

La dependencia emocional no es saludable en una pareja.

Emotional dependency is not healthy in a relationship.

El paciente sufre de una fuerte dependencia a la nicotina.

The patient suffers from a strong addiction to nicotine.

Using the right connector

In Spanish, we usually use the word 'de' (of/from) after 'dependencia' to show what someone relies on, whereas English uses 'on'.

Don't say 'en'

Mistake: “Su dependencia en el café.”

Correction: Su dependencia del café (de + el).

adicción

nounB1general
Choose 'adicción' when the dependency is compulsive and unhealthy, typically involving a substance (like drugs or alcohol) or a specific behavior (like gambling or social media).

Examples

Dejó de fumar, pero todavía lucha contra la adicción a la nicotina.

He quit smoking, but he still fights nicotine addiction.

Adicción vs. Dependencia

Learners often use 'adicción' when they simply mean a strong need or reliance. Remember that 'adicción' implies a compulsive, often harmful, habit, while 'dependencia' is a broader term for reliance. If it's not a harmful compulsion, 'dependencia' is usually the correct choice.

Related Translations

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