Inklingo

How to Say "reliance" in Spanish

English → Spanish

confianza

kon-fyan-sakomˈfjan.sa

nounA2general
Use 'confianza' when 'reliance' implies trust or faith in someone or something's ability to succeed or be dependable.
A simple, colorful storybook illustration showing a young child doing a trust fall with their eyes closed, being safely and gently caught by a smiling adult standing directly behind them.

Examples

Tengo mucha confianza en que el proyecto saldrá bien.

I have a lot of confidence that the project will turn out well.

Ella es una persona de mi entera confianza; puedes contarle el secreto.

She is a person I entirely trust; you can tell her the secret.

Si quieres hablar en público, tienes que ganar confianza.

If you want to speak in public, you have to gain confidence.

Which Preposition to Use?

To express who or what you trust in, use the preposition 'en': 'Tengo confianza en ti' (I have confidence in you).

Using the wrong preposition

Mistake: “Poner confianza *a* alguien.”

Correction: Poner confianza *en* alguien. The preposition 'en' (in) is required after 'confianza' when stating the object of your trust.

dependencia

deh-pehn-DEN-syahdepenˈdenθja

nounB1general
Use 'dependencia' when 'reliance' refers to a state of needing something or someone to function or survive, often implying a lack of autonomy.
A small baby bird in a nest opening its beak wide while its mother feeds it a worm.

Examples

Muchos países quieren reducir su dependencia del petróleo.

Many countries want to reduce their dependency on oil.

La dependencia emocional no es saludable en una pareja.

Emotional dependency is not healthy in a relationship.

El paciente sufre de una fuerte dependencia a la nicotina.

The patient suffers from a strong addiction to nicotine.

Using the right connector

In Spanish, we usually use the word 'de' (of/from) after 'dependencia' to show what someone relies on, whereas English uses 'on'.

Don't say 'en'

Mistake: “Su dependencia en el café.”

Correction: Su dependencia del café (de + el).

Trust vs. Need

Learners often confuse 'confianza' and 'dependencia' by using 'confianza' when they mean a strong need or requirement. Remember, 'confianza' is about belief and trust, while 'dependencia' is about being dependent or needing something to function.

Related Translations

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