How to Say "to distrust" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to distrust” is “desconfiar” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
No debes desconfiar de tus amigos.
You shouldn't distrust your friends.
Ella desconfía de las promesas del político.
She is suspicious of the politician's promises.
Empecé a desconfiar cuando noté que faltaba dinero.
I started to get suspicious when I noticed money was missing.
The 'De' Connection
Unlike in English where you just 'distrust someone,' in Spanish you must use the word 'de' after desconfiar to connect it to the person or thing you don't trust.
The Stress on the 'i'
In many forms of this verb (like the present tense), the 'i' in the root becomes stronger and gets an accent mark, such as 'desconfío'.
Missing the 'de'
Mistake: “Desconfío el sistema.”
Correction: Desconfío del sistema. (Remember to always use 'de' before the object of your distrust).
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.