Inklingo

How to Say "patience" in Spanish

English → Spanish

paciencia

/pah-syen-syah//paˈsjen.sja/

nounA2general
Use 'paciencia' when referring to the ability to wait calmly for something or someone, or to endure a slow process.
A high quality storybook illustration of a person sitting calmly on a wooden stool on a riverbank, holding a fishing rod and waiting patiently for a fish to bite.

Examples

Necesitas mucha paciencia para enseñar a niños pequeños.

You need a lot of patience to teach small children.

Perdí la paciencia esperando el autobús que nunca llegó.

I lost patience waiting for the bus that never arrived.

Ten paciencia, el proceso es lento pero seguro.

Have patience (Be patient), the process is slow but sure.

Gender Alert

Remember that 'paciencia' is a feminine noun, so you must use the article 'la' (la paciencia) and feminine adjectives with it.

Being Patient

To say 'to be patient' in Spanish, you usually say 'tener paciencia' (to have patience), rather than using the verb 'ser' or 'estar' directly with the noun.

Mixing 'Ser' and 'Tener'

Mistake: “Soy paciencia. (I am patience.)”

Correction: Tengo paciencia. (I have patience.) Use 'tener' to describe possessing this quality, or use the adjective: 'Soy paciente' (I am patient).

correa

/ko-RRE-ah//koˈrea/

nounC1informal
Use 'correa' specifically when describing the resilience to put up with difficult jokes, teasing, or stressful situations without losing your temper.
A calm person smiling peacefully while a small bird lands on their shoulder.

Examples

Para ser profesor, hay que tener mucha correa.

To be a teacher, you need to have a lot of patience.

No te enfades, ¡ten un poco de correa!

Don't get mad, have a little thick skin!

Idiomatic Use

In this sense, 'correa' doesn't refer to a physical object but to the 'stretch' or flexibility of your personality.

Paciencia vs. Correa

Learners often confuse 'paciencia' and 'correa' because both relate to enduring difficulty. Remember that 'paciencia' is about waiting or enduring a slow situation, while 'correa' is about tolerating annoying or stressful behavior from others.

Related Translations

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