How to Say "i feared" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “i feared” is “temía” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Yo temía a la oscuridad cuando era pequeña.
I used to fear the dark when I was little.
Ella temía que el examen fuera muy difícil.
She feared that the exam would be very difficult.
Él siempre temía hablar en público, pero lo hacía.
He always feared speaking in public, but he did it.
The Imperfect Tense (El Imperfecto)
This form of the verb shows an action that was ongoing, habitual, or setting the scene in the past. Think of it as 'I used to fear' or 'I was fearing.'
Temer and Subjunctive
When you use 'temer' to express fear about something that might happen or might be true (using 'que'), the next verb often needs the special verb form called the subjunctive: 'Temía que lloviera.' (I feared that it would rain).
Imperfect vs. Preterite
Mistake: “Using 'Yo temí' when you mean a continuous state.”
Correction: Use 'Yo temía' to describe the ongoing feeling or state of fear. 'Yo temí' (preterite) means 'I feared (once)' or 'I suddenly became afraid'—a single, completed moment.
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.