How to Say "distrust" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “distrust” is “desconfianza” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Siento un poco de desconfianza hacia los vendedores que gritan mucho.
I feel a bit of distrust toward salespeople who shout a lot.
La falta de comunicación generó desconfianza entre los socios.
The lack of communication created distrust between the partners.
Ella me miró con desconfianza cuando le pedí las llaves de su coche.
She looked at me with suspicion when I asked for her car keys.
The 'Des-' Power
The 'des-' at the beginning is like the English 'un-' or 'dis-'. It simply takes the word for trust (confianza) and turns it into its opposite.
Connecting to People
To say who you don't trust, use the words 'en' (in) or 'hacia' (toward) right after desconfianza.
Confusing Nouns and Actions
Mistake: “Yo desconfianza de él.”
Correction: Yo desconfío de él (I distrust him) OR Siento desconfianza hacia él (I feel distrust toward him). 'Desconfianza' is the name of the feeling, not the action itself.
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.