How to Say "to whine" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to whine” is “quejarse” — use 'quejarse' when referring to a person, especially a child, complaining in an irritating or persistent way about something minor..
quejarse
/keh-HAR-seh//keˈxaɾse/
Examples
Deja de quejarte por todo, ¡no es para tanto!
Stop whining about everything, it's not that big a deal!
Siempre se queja de la comida en la escuela.
He always complains about the food at school.
No me quejo, la vida me va muy bien.
I'm not complaining, life is going very well for me.
Si no te gusta el servicio, deberías quejarte con el gerente.
If you don't like the service, you should complain to the manager.
The Reflexive Pronoun
This verb is always used with 'reflexive pronouns' (me, te, se, nos, os). Even if you aren't complaining 'to yourself,' these little words are required for the verb to work.
The preposition 'de'
In English, you complain 'about' something. In Spanish, you almost always use 'de' to connect the verb to the thing you dislike.
Forgetting the 'se' pronouns
Mistake: “Yo quejo del frío.”
Correction: Me quejo del frío. (You must include 'me' for the verb to be correct.)
Using 'sobre' instead of 'de'
Mistake: “Se queja sobre su jefe.”
Correction: Se queja de su jefe. (While 'sobre' is understood, 'de' is the natural choice for complaints.)
gemir
/heh-MEER//xeˈmiɾ/
Examples
El perro herido empezó a gemir de dolor.
The injured dog began to whine in pain.
El herido empezó a gemir mientras esperaba la ambulancia.
The injured man began to groan while waiting for the ambulance.
El perro gime frente a la puerta porque quiere salir.
The dog is whining at the door because he wants to go out.
Gimió de dolor cuando el doctor tocó su pierna.
He groaned with pain when the doctor touched his leg.
The 'E' to 'I' Switch
In many forms, the 'e' in gemir changes to an 'i'. Think of it like the word 'pedir'. This happens in the present tense (gimo) and even in the 'they' form of the past (gimieron).
Using 'de' for the Cause
When you want to say why someone is moaning, use 'de'. For example: 'gemir de tristeza' (to moan with sadness).
Gemir vs. Quejarse
Mistake: “Using gemir to mean 'complaining' about a situation.”
Correction: Use 'quejarse' for verbal complaints. 'Gemir' is specifically the physical sound made by the throat.
Animal Sounds vs. Annoying Complaints
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.