How to Say "in despair" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “in despair” is “desesperado” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Estaba tan desesperado que no sabía qué hacer.
He was so desperate that he didn't know what to do.
La madre se sentía desesperada buscando a su hijo perdido.
The mother felt desperate looking for her lost son.
Parecía desesperada por conseguir el trabajo.
She looked frantic (or desperate) to get the job.
Adjective Agreement
Since 'desesperado' is an adjective, its ending must match the noun it describes: 'desesperado' (masculine singular), 'desesperada' (feminine singular), 'desesperados' (masculine plural), and 'desesperadas' (feminine plural).
Origin as a Past Participle
This word is the past participle of the verb 'desesperar' (to despair). When used with 'estar' (to be, in a state), it describes the emotional state resulting from having lost hope.
Using 'Ser' instead of 'Estar'
Mistake: “Soy desesperado.”
Correction: Estoy desesperado. Use 'estar' because desperation is a temporary emotional state, not an inherent quality (which would use 'ser').
Related Translations
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