How to Say "panic" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “panic” is “pánico” — use 'pánico' for a sudden, overwhelming, and often irrational feeling of intense fear or dread that can cause a loss of control..
pánico
Examples
El grito repentino del niño provocó un ataque de pánico en su madre.
The child's sudden scream caused a panic attack in his mother.
alarma
ah-LAHR-mah/aˈlaɾma/
Examples
La noticia del incendio generó alarma entre los vecinos del edificio.
The news of the fire generated alarm among the building's neighbors.
La caída de la bolsa causó una gran alarma social.
The stock market crash caused great social alarm (worry).
El doctor dijo que no había motivo para la alarma.
The doctor said there was no cause for alarm.
Trató de no mostrar alarma ante la situación.
He tried not to show panic (alarm) given the situation.
Using 'Causar'
When talking about an event creating this feeling, use the verb 'causar' (to cause): 'El ruido causó alarma entre los vecinos'.
terror
teh-ROHR/teˈror/
Examples
El sonido de las explosiones llenó la noche de terror.
The sound of the explosions filled the night with terror.
El terremoto causó un terror generalizado entre la población.
The earthquake caused widespread terror among the population.
Sentí un terror horrible cuando se apagaron todas las luces.
I felt a horrible dread when all the lights went out.
La película de terror me mantuvo despierto toda la noche.
The horror movie kept me awake all night.
Using 'Tener' vs. 'Sentir'
You can use the verb 'tener' (to have) or 'sentir' (to feel) with 'terror': 'Tengo terror' (I have terror) or 'Siento terror' (I feel terror). Both are very common.
Gender Error
Mistake: “La terror”
Correction: El terror. Although it ends in '-or', 'terror' is always a masculine noun, so use 'el' or 'un'.
Pánico vs. Alarma
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.