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How to Say "sad" in Spanish

English → Spanish

triste

/TREES-teh//ˈtɾiste/

adjectiveA1general
Use 'triste' when describing a person's direct emotional state of sadness or when referring to something inherently sorrowful, like a story or a song.
A small, cartoonish bear sitting alone with a downturned mouth and a single tear drop falling from its eye, illustrating the emotion of sadness.

Examples

Hoy me siento un poco triste.

I feel a little sad today.

¿Por qué estás triste?

Why are you sad?

Ella se puso triste cuando se fue su amigo.

She got sad when her friend left.

Es una historia muy triste.

It's a very sad story.

Using 'Estar' for Feelings

To talk about how someone feels right now, you'll almost always use the verb 'estar' with 'triste'. For example, 'Él está triste' means 'He is sad (at this moment)'.

Using 'Ser' for Characteristics

To describe the basic quality of a thing or situation, use the verb 'ser'. For example, 'La película es triste' means the movie is inherently a sad one.

Same Form for Masculine and Feminine

'Triste' doesn't change for masculine or feminine things. You say 'un libro triste' (a sad book) and 'una película triste' (a sad movie). It always ends in '-e'.

Describing a Feeling vs. a Personality

Mistake: “Using 'ser' for a temporary feeling, like saying 'Soy triste hoy'.”

Correction: Always use 'estar' for temporary feelings: 'Estoy triste hoy'. Using 'ser' ('soy triste') means you are a sad person in general, which is a much stronger statement about your personality.

triste

/TREES-teh//ˈtɾiste/

adjectiveA2general
Use 'triste' to describe a thing or event that evokes sadness, such as a sad song or a tragic story.
A small, cartoonish bear sitting alone with a downturned mouth and a single tear drop falling from its eye, illustrating the emotion of sadness.

Examples

Es una historia muy triste.

It's a very sad story.

Hoy me siento un poco triste.

I feel a little sad today.

¿Por qué estás triste?

Why are you sad?

Ella se puso triste cuando se fue su amigo.

She got sad when her friend left.

Using 'Estar' for Feelings

To talk about how someone feels right now, you'll almost always use the verb 'estar' with 'triste'. For example, 'Él está triste' means 'He is sad (at this moment)'.

Using 'Ser' for Characteristics

To describe the basic quality of a thing or situation, use the verb 'ser'. For example, 'La película es triste' means the movie is inherently a sad one.

Same Form for Masculine and Feminine

'Triste' doesn't change for masculine or feminine things. You say 'un libro triste' (a sad book) and 'una película triste' (a sad movie). It always ends in '-e'.

Describing a Feeling vs. a Personality

Mistake: “Using 'ser' for a temporary feeling, like saying 'Soy triste hoy'.”

Correction: Always use 'estar' for temporary feelings: 'Estoy triste hoy'. Using 'ser' ('soy triste') means you are a sad person in general, which is a much stronger statement about your personality.

gris

/grees//ɡɾis/

adjectiveB2figurative
Use 'gris' metaphorically to describe a situation, period, or life that feels dull, monotonous, or lacking in joy, rather than expressing a direct emotional state.
A desolate scene showing a small, lonely house silhouette under a dark, rainy, gray, overcast sky, conveying gloominess.

Examples

Últimamente, su vida se ha vuelto muy gris.

Lately, his life has become very dull/monotonous.

Tras la derrota, el ambiente en el vestuario era gris.

After the defeat, the atmosphere in the locker room was gloomy.

Confusing 'triste' with 'gris'

Learners often mistakenly use 'gris' to describe a person feeling sad. Remember that 'triste' directly translates to the emotion of sadness, while 'gris' is a more figurative term for dullness or lack of vibrancy.

Related Translations

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