How to Say "powerlessness" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “powerlessness” is “impotencia” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Siento una gran impotencia al ver las noticias sobre la guerra.
I feel a great sense of helplessness when I see the news about the war.
La impotencia de no poder ayudar a su familia lo ponía muy triste.
The helplessness of not being able to help his family made him very sad.
Gritó de impotencia cuando se dio cuenta de que había perdido las llaves.
He shouted in frustration because he realized he had lost his keys.
Always Feminine
Even though it ends in 'a,' remember it's always 'la impotencia.' It follows the pattern of most Spanish words ending in -encia.
Connecting Actions
To say what you are helpless to do, use the word 'de' followed by the base form of the verb (the infinitive), like 'impotencia de no poder ir' (helplessness of not being able to go).
Using 'tengo' incorrectly
Mistake: “Tengo impotente.”
Correction: Siento impotencia or Soy impotente. 'Impotencia' is the noun (the thing you feel), while 'impotente' is the adjective (what you are).
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.