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How to Say "disorder" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “disorder” is “trastorno” — use this term for a medical or psychological condition, like a mental health issue or a specific illness.

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trastorno

tras-TOR-notɾasˈtoɾno

nounB1medical, psychological
Use this term for a medical or psychological condition, like a mental health issue or a specific illness.
A colorful illustration of a person's head with tangled, multi-colored yarn inside instead of a brain, representing a psychological disorder.

Examples

El psicólogo diagnosticó un trastorno de ansiedad.

The psychologist diagnosed an anxiety disorder.

Perder el tren fue un gran trastorno para nuestro viaje.

Missing the train was a big inconvenience for our trip.

La nueva ley provocó un trastorno en el mercado inmobiliario.

The new law caused an upheaval in the real estate market.

Always Masculine

Even if the person suffering from the disorder is female, the word 'trastorno' always stays masculine: 'Ella tiene un trastorno'.

Verbs to use with it

When talking about life problems, use 'causar' (to cause) or 'suponer' (to involve/mean). Example: 'Esto supone un trastorno' (This is an inconvenience).

Confusing the noun and adjective

Mistake: “Estoy muy trastorno.”

Correction: Estoy muy trastornado (I am very upset/disturbed). Use 'trastorno' for the 'thing' and 'trastornado' for the 'person'.

desorden

des-OR-dendesˈorðen

nounB2general, social, political
This word refers to a state of chaos, messiness, or lack of order, often in a social, political, or general sense.
A colorful storybook illustration depicting a tall, organized tower made of square building blocks suddenly collapsing into a wide, disorganized heap on the ground, symbolizing structural chaos.

Examples

La caída del gobierno provocó un desorden social generalizado.

The fall of the government caused widespread social disorder.

El médico le diagnosticó un desorden del sueño.

The doctor diagnosed him with a sleep disorder.

caos

KAH-ohsˈka.os

nounB1general
Use this for a situation that is completely disorganized, chaotic, and lacking any structure or control.
A jumbled, precarious stack of brightly colored, unrelated objects, including a ball, a shoe, a building block, and an umbrella, illustrating extreme disorder.

Examples

Después de la fiesta, la casa era un completo caos.

After the party, the house was complete chaos (a total mess).

El anuncio inesperado causó un caos tremendo en la oficina.

The unexpected announcement caused tremendous disorder in the office.

Cuando se fue la luz, todo se convirtió en caos por un momento.

When the power went out, everything turned into chaos for a moment.

Always Masculine

Even though 'caos' ends in '-s', it is always a masculine word, so you must use 'el' or 'un' before it: 'el caos', 'un caos'.

Incorrect Gender

Mistake: “La caos es terrible.”

Correction: El caos es terrible. Remember that this word is masculine, even though some words ending in '-s' are feminine.

afección

nounB2medical
This term is used for a functional health issue or a mild medical condition, often related to a specific body part.

Examples

El médico dice que es una afección leve de la garganta.

The doctor says it is a mild throat condition.

confusión

nounB2general
This word implies a state of confusion or disarray, often resulting from a sudden change or event, leading to a lack of order.

Examples

La oficina se convirtió en una total confusión después de la mudanza.

The office turned into total disorder after the move.

Medical vs. General Disorder

The most common confusion is between 'trastorno' and 'desorden' or 'caos'. Remember that 'trastorno' specifically refers to a medical or psychological condition, while 'desorden' and 'caos' describe general states of messiness or lack of organization.

Related Translations

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