How to Say "they fear" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “they fear” is “temen” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Ellos le temen a la oscuridad.
They are afraid of the dark.
Ustedes temen perder el partido.
You all fear losing the match.
Muchos ciudadanos temen que los impuestos suban.
Many citizens fear that taxes will go up.
Who is doing the action?
This specific form 'temen' is used only when the people fearing are 'them' (ellos/ellas) or 'you all' (ustedes).
Using 'que'
When you want to say 'they fear THAT something will happen,' use 'temen que' followed by a special verb form (the subjunctive) to show it is a worry, not a fact.
Temen vs. Teman
Mistake: “Using 'ellos teman' to say 'they fear'.”
Correction: Use 'ellos temen' for a simple statement. 'Teman' is only for commands or special 'wishing' sentences.
Related Translations
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