Inklingo

How to Say "smitten" in Spanish

English → Spanish

enamorado

eh-nah-moh-RAH-doh/ena.moˈɾa.ðo/

adjectiveA2general
Use 'enamorado' when you are deeply in love with someone, indicating a serious romantic affection.
A person smiling brightly and looking joyful, with three stylized pink hearts floating around their head, symbolizing the state of being deeply in love.

Examples

¿Estás enamorado de tu nueva vecina?

Are you in love with your new neighbor (f.)?

Mi hermana está enamorada de la música clásica.

My sister is in love with classical music.

Parecen tan enamorados cuando se miran.

They look so in love when they look at each other.

Use with 'Estar' (To Be)

To say someone IS in love, always use the verb 'estar' because it describes a current, often changing, emotional state, not a permanent part of their personality.

Required Preposition

You must follow 'enamorado' with the preposition 'de' (of) to say who or what someone is in love with. It does not use 'con' (with).

Using 'Ser'

Mistake: “Él es enamorado.”

Correction: Él está enamorado. (This corrects the mistake of treating 'in love' as a permanent quality using 'ser'.)

pillado

pee-YAH-doh/piˈʎa.ðo/

adjectiveC1informal
Use 'pillado' to express that you have a strong, perhaps sudden, attraction or crush on someone, often implying you can't stop thinking about them.
A young character with wide eyes and a dazed, dreamy expression, surrounded by three large, floating pink hearts, symbolizing being deeply attracted.

Examples

Creo que estoy pillado por mi nuevo vecino. No puedo dejar de mirarlo.

I think I'm crushing on my new neighbor. I can't stop looking at him.

Mi hermana está totalmente pillada por ese cantante famoso.

My sister is totally smitten with that famous singer.

The Preposition 'Por'

When talking about who you are crushing on, you must use the preposition 'por' (by/for): 'Estoy pillado por María' (I am crushing on Maria).

Overusing in Formal Settings

Mistake: “El director está pillado por la nueva política.”

Correction: Use 'fascinado' (fascinated) instead. This meaning of 'pillado' is too informal for professional contexts.

Enamorado vs. Pillado

The most common mistake is using 'enamorado' for a fleeting crush. 'Enamorado' implies a deeper, more established state of being in love, while 'pillado' is better for expressing a strong, immediate attraction or infatuation.

Related Translations

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