How to Say "to suffer" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to suffer” is “sufrir” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
English → SpanishB1
VerbB1
physical or emotional pain
Examples
Mi abuelo sufrió mucho después de la operación.
My grandfather suffered a lot after the operation.
Ella sufre de insomnio crónico.
She suffers from chronic insomnia.
No quiero que sufras por mi culpa.
I don't want you to suffer because of me.
Sufrir vs. Padecer
Both mean 'to suffer,' but 'padecer' often suggests suffering from a specific, usually chronic, condition or disease, while 'sufrir' is more general.
Using 'de' for direct suffering
Mistake: “Sufro el dolor.”
Correction: Sufro de dolor. (The preposition 'de' is often used when talking about the source or condition being suffered.)
Related Translations
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