Inklingo

How to Say "overwhelmed" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “overwhelmed” is “aplastado” — use 'aplastado' when the feeling of being overwhelmed is due to an immense burden, like excessive work or life difficulties, making you feel crushed or exhausted.

English → Spanish

aplastado

ah-plahs-TAH-dohaplasˈtaðo

adjectiveB1general
Use 'aplastado' when the feeling of being overwhelmed is due to an immense burden, like excessive work or life difficulties, making you feel crushed or exhausted.
A small person carrying a massive, heavy gray boulder on their back, looking exhausted.

Examples

Después de trabajar doce horas, me siento aplastado.

After working twelve hours, I feel crushed/exhausted.

El equipo volvió aplastado tras la derrota.

The team came back feeling defeated after the loss.

Estoy aplastado por tantas deudas.

I am overwhelmed by so many debts.

Emotional State

When using this for feelings, it almost always follows the verb 'sentirse' (to feel) or 'estar' (to be).

Romantic 'Crush'

Mistake: “Saying 'Tengo un aplastado' to mean you have a romantic crush.”

Correction: In Spanish, 'aplastado' is never used for romance. Use 'me gusta' or 'estoy colado por alguien' instead.

inundado

een-oon-DAH-dohinunˈdaðo

adjectiveB1general
Choose 'inundado' when you are overwhelmed by a large quantity of something specific, such as too many tasks, emails, or requests, implying you are swamped.
A person sitting at a desk buried under a giant mountain of colorful papers.

Examples

Estoy inundado de trabajo esta semana.

I am swamped with work this week.

Su correo electrónico está inundado de mensajes sin leer.

His email is flooded with unread messages.

El actor se sintió inundado por el afecto de sus fans.

The actor felt overwhelmed by the affection of his fans.

Using 'de' for the cause

When you are overwhelmed by a specific thing (like work or messages), you usually use the word 'de' immediately after 'inundado'.

Overwhelmed 'with' vs 'of'

Mistake: “Estoy inundado con trabajo.”

Correction: Estoy inundado de trabajo. (While people might understand you, using 'de' is the most natural way to link the feeling to the cause.)

llevado

yeh-VAH-dohʎeˈβa.ðo

adjectiveB1general
Use 'llevado' to describe a state of mental stress and exhaustion, often after a prolonged period of intense effort or a difficult situation, implying you are worn out.
A cartoon rabbit lying flat on the ground, sweat dripping from its brow, looking completely worn out.

Examples

Los trabajadores estaban muy llevados después de la jornada extra.

The workers were very worn out/exhausted after the extra shift.

Me siento tan llevado por el estrés de los exámenes.

I feel so worn out by the stress of the exams.

Using 'Estar' for States

This meaning always uses the verb estar because it describes a temporary physical or emotional state: 'Estoy llevado' (I am exhausted).

Distinguishing 'aplastado' from 'inundado'

Learners often confuse 'aplastado' and 'inundado'. Remember that 'aplastado' conveys a feeling of being crushed by the weight of the situation, while 'inundado' specifically refers to being swamped by a large volume of something concrete, like tasks or emails.

Related Translations

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