Inklingo

How to Say "repressed" in Spanish

The Spanish word forrepressedis reprimidoB2 level.

English → SpanishB2
adjectiveB2
referring to emotions or personality
A sad character sitting alone with a heavy padlock over their heart, symbolizing bottled-up emotions.

Examples

Él es un hombre muy reprimido que nunca muestra su tristeza.

He is a very repressed man who never shows his sadness.

Tenía un deseo reprimido de viajar por todo el mundo.

She had a bottled-up desire to travel all over the world.

A veces, los sentimientos reprimidos pueden salir de forma explosiva.

Sometimes, repressed feelings can come out in an explosive way.

Matching the ending

Just like other adjectives, this word changes its ending to match what you are describing. Use 'reprimido' for a man, 'reprimida' for a woman, and 'reprimidos/as' for groups.

Using with 'ser' vs 'estar'

Use 'ser' if you're describing someone's personality (He IS a repressed person). Use 'estar' if you're describing a temporary state or the result of an action (He feels repressed right now).

Confusing with 'shyness'

Mistake:Using 'reprimido' when you just mean someone is quiet or shy.

Correction: Use 'tímido' for shy. 'Reprimido' is stronger; it implies someone is actively pushing down their true feelings or nature.

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