Inklingo

How to Say "disappointment" in Spanish

English → Spanish

decepción

nounB1general
Use 'decepción' when you feel let down by an outcome that did not meet your expectations, like a bad movie or a failed project.

Examples

La película fue una gran decepción.

The movie was a big disappointment.

disgusto

/dees-GOOS-toh//disˈɡusto/

nounB1general
Use 'disgusto' to describe a feeling of upset or displeasure, often caused by something unfortunate or unexpected happening, like losing an important item.
A sad child sitting on a wooden bench looking down at a spilled ice cream cone on the ground.

Examples

Mi abuelo se llevó un gran disgusto cuando perdió su reloj.

My grandfather was very upset when he lost his watch.

No quiero darle un disgusto a mi madre con mis notas.

I don't want to cause my mother any trouble with my grades.

Tuvimos un pequeño disgusto por un malentendido.

We had a small falling out over a misunderstanding.

False Friend Alert!

In Spanish, 'disgusto' is usually about sadness or annoyance, not 'disgust' (revulsion). If you want to say something is gross, use 'asco'.

Using 'Dar' vs 'Llevarse'

Use 'dar' when you are the cause of the upset ('I gave him an upset') and 'llevarse' when you are the one experiencing the upset ('I took/received an upset').

Confusing 'Disgusto' with 'Asco'

Mistake: “Esa comida me da disgusto.”

Correction: Esa comida me da asco.

frustración

nounB1general
Choose 'frustración' when you feel annoyed or distressed because you cannot achieve something or express yourself effectively.

Examples

Siento mucha frustración cuando no puedo explicar lo que pienso.

I feel a lot of frustration when I can't explain what I'm thinking.

Decepción vs. Disgusto vs. Frustración

Learners often confuse 'decepción' and 'disgusto'. Remember that 'decepción' is about unmet expectations (e.g., a bad product), while 'disgusto' is more about an emotional upset from an unfortunate event (e.g., losing something valuable).

Related Translations

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