Inklingo

How to Say "doubt" in Spanish

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duda

/doo-da//ˈdu.ða/

NounA2General
Use 'duda' when you feel uncertain about something or have a question about how something works or is done. This is the most general term for doubt.
A small, simple character standing at a fork in a path, looking back and forth between the two directions with a confused or uncertain expression.

Examples

Tengo una duda sobre cómo funciona esto.

I have a question about how this works.

No me cabe la menor duda de que tienes razón.

I don't have the slightest doubt that you're right.

Sin duda, este es el mejor restaurante de la ciudad.

Without a doubt, this is the best restaurant in the city.

Duda vs. Pregunta

'Duda' is the feeling of uncertainty you have inside your head. 'Pregunta' is the actual question you ask out loud to get information. If you raise your hand in class, you have a 'duda,' but you ask a 'pregunta'.

Asking a 'duda'

Mistake: “Voy a hacerte una duda.”

Correction: Voy a hacerte una pregunta. 'Preguntas' are what you 'make' or 'ask' ('hacer'). You 'have' ('tener') a 'duda'.

cuestión

NounB2General/Formal
Choose 'cuestión' when referring to a specific point of skepticism, a matter in dispute, or a topic that raises questions, especially in a more formal or intellectual context.

Examples

No quiso responder a mi cuestión sobre el futuro de la empresa.

He didn't want to answer my question about the future of the company.

sospecha

soh-SPEH-chah/sosˈpetʃa/

NounB1General
Use 'sospecha' when the doubt involves a feeling of mistrust, suspicion, or a hunch that something is wrong or that someone has done something illicit.
A small, wide-eyed cartoon mouse hiding behind a large piece of cheese, peering nervously at a dark shadow approaching from the side, illustrating a feeling of suspicion.

Examples

La policía actuó bajo la sospecha de fraude.

The police acted under the suspicion of fraud.

No tengo ninguna sospecha sobre su honestidad.

I don't have any suspicion about his honesty.

Su comportamiento levantó muchas sospechas.

His behavior raised a lot of suspicions.

Using 'Tener'

To express that you feel suspicious, Spanish uses the verb 'tener' (to have): 'Tengo una sospecha' (I have a suspicion).

Using 'Ser' or 'Estar'

Mistake: “Soy sospecha / Estoy sospecha”

Correction: Use 'Tener una sospecha' (I have a suspicion) or 'Tener sospechas' (I have suspicions).

Duda vs. Cuestión

Learners often mistakenly use 'cuestión' for simple uncertainty. Remember that 'duda' is the go-to word for general feelings of uncertainty or simple questions. 'Cuestión' implies a more complex point of debate or skepticism.

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