Inklingo

How to Say "upset" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “upset” is “molesto” — use this when you are slightly annoyed or bothered by something, like a minor inconvenience.

molesto🔊A2

Use this when you are slightly annoyed or bothered by something, like a minor inconvenience.

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disgustado🔊B1

Use this when you are unhappy or displeased with a specific situation or person's behavior.

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alterado🔊B1

Use this to describe someone who is agitated, disturbed, or emotionally unbalanced.

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afectado🔊B1

Use this when someone or something has been emotionally or physically impacted or harmed by an event.

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disgusto🔊B1

Use this to refer to the feeling of emotional distress, worry, or a negative experience itself.

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enojo🔊A2

Use this for a stronger feeling of anger or irritation, often a more pronounced emotional reaction.

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trastorno🔊B1

Use this for a more formal term referring to an emotional or physical disturbance, often in a medical or psychological context.

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revuelto🔊A1

Use this specifically when referring to an upset stomach or feeling nauseous.

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English → Spanish

molesto

moh-LEH-stohmoˈlesto

adjectiveA2general
Use this when you are slightly annoyed or bothered by something, like a minor inconvenience.
A storybook illustration of a young child looking visibly annoyed, with their arms crossed tightly and a slight frown.

Examples

Estoy molesto porque perdí mis llaves.

I am annoyed because I lost my keys.

¿Estás molesta conmigo? No quise ofenderte.

Are you upset with me? I didn't mean to offend you. (Note: using 'molesta' for a female speaker)

Use with Estar

When describing a person's temporary feeling or state, 'molesto' always pairs with the verb 'estar': 'Ella está molesta' (She is annoyed right now).

Agreement

Like all Spanish adjectives, 'molesto' must match the gender and number of the person feeling the emotion (molesta, molestos, molestas).

Ser vs. Estar Error

Mistake: “Soy molesto.”

Correction: Estoy molesto. Saying 'Soy molesto' means 'I am an annoying person' (Definition 1), which is different from 'I feel annoyed' (Definition 2).

disgustado

dees-goos-TAH-dohdis.ɣus.ˈta.ðo

adjectiveB1general
Use this when you are unhappy or displeased with a specific situation or person's behavior.
A child sitting on a small wooden stool with their arms crossed and a frowning expression, looking unhappy and annoyed.

Examples

Mi padre está disgustado porque llegué tarde.

My father is upset because I arrived late.

Pareces un poco disgustada, ¿pasó algo en el trabajo?

You look a bit annoyed, did something happen at work?

Los vecinos están disgustados con el ruido de la construcción.

The neighbors are displeased with the construction noise.

Matching the Person

This word changes its ending depending on who you are describing. Use 'disgustado' for a man and 'disgustada' for a woman.

Using 'Estar'

Since being upset is a feeling or a temporary state, you should use the verb 'estar' (to be) rather than 'ser'.

The 'False Friend' Trap

Mistake: “Using 'disgustado' to mean you are grossed out by something (like bad food).”

Correction: Use 'asqueado' for physical disgust. 'Disgustado' almost always means upset or annoyed in Spanish.

alterado

al-te-RAH-dohalteˈɾaðo

adjectiveB1general
Use this to describe someone who is agitated, disturbed, or emotionally unbalanced.
A person with a frustrated expression holding their head with their hands.

Examples

Cálmate un poco, te veo muy alterado.

Calm down a bit, you look very upset.

El cliente se puso alterado porque el vuelo se canceló.

The customer became agitated because the flight was canceled.

Using 'estar' vs 'ser'

Use 'estar' with this word to describe a temporary mood or state of mind. Using 'ser' is very rare and would imply the person is permanently 'changed'.

Not a False Friend for 'Alternative'

Mistake: “Using 'alterado' to mean 'an alternative option'.”

Correction: Use 'alternativo' for options. 'Alterado' always means something has been changed or someone is upset.

afectado

ah-fek-TAH-dohafekˈtaðo

adjectiveB1general
Use this when someone or something has been emotionally or physically impacted or harmed by an event.
A small green plant wilting under a very hot sun.

Examples

Las zonas afectadas por la inundación necesitan ayuda.

The areas affected by the flood need help.

Él se sintió muy afectado por la noticia del accidente.

He felt very upset by the news of the accident.

Adjective Agreement

Remember to change the ending to match who or what you are describing: 'afectado' (masculine), 'afectada' (feminine), 'afectados' (plural masculine), and 'afectadas' (plural feminine).

Affected vs. Fan

Mistake: “Using 'afectado' to mean you like a hobby.”

Correction: Use 'aficionado' for 'fan.' Use 'afectado' only for someone impacted by something negative or emotional.

disgusto

dees-GOOS-tohdisˈɡusto

nounB1general
Use this to refer to the feeling of emotional distress, worry, or a negative experience itself.
A sad child sitting on a wooden bench looking down at a spilled ice cream cone on the ground.

Examples

Mi abuelo se llevó un gran disgusto cuando perdió su reloj.

My grandfather was very upset when he lost his watch.

No quiero darle un disgusto a mi madre con mis notas.

I don't want to cause my mother any trouble with my grades.

Tuvimos un pequeño disgusto por un malentendido.

We had a small falling out over a misunderstanding.

False Friend Alert!

In Spanish, 'disgusto' is usually about sadness or annoyance, not 'disgust' (revulsion). If you want to say something is gross, use 'asco'.

Using 'Dar' vs 'Llevarse'

Use 'dar' when you are the cause of the upset ('I gave him an upset') and 'llevarse' when you are the one experiencing the upset ('I took/received an upset').

Confusing 'Disgusto' with 'Asco'

Mistake: “Esa comida me da disgusto.”

Correction: Esa comida me da asco.

enojo

eh-NOH-hoheˈnoxo

nounA2general
Use this for a stronger feeling of anger or irritation, often a more pronounced emotional reaction.
A grumpy young boy with a red face and crossed arms, looking very angry.

Examples

No pude ocultar mi enojo cuando me mintieron.

I couldn't hide my anger when they lied to me.

Su constante impuntualidad me causa mucho enojo.

Their constant lateness causes me a lot of annoyance.

Hay que aprender a controlar el enojo para vivir mejor.

One must learn to control anger to live better.

Talking about feelings

When you want to say something makes you angry, use 'me da' followed by 'enojo' (It gives me anger).

Nouns vs. Adjectives

'Enojo' is the name of the feeling (the noun). If you want to describe a person who is currently angry, use 'enojado'.

Using 'Estar' with 'Enojo'

Mistake: “Estoy enojo.”

Correction: Say 'Tengo enojo' (I have anger) or 'Estoy enojado' (I am angry). You can't 'be' a noun.

trastorno

tras-TOR-notɾasˈtoɾno

nounB1formal
Use this for a more formal term referring to an emotional or physical disturbance, often in a medical or psychological context.
A colorful illustration of a person's head with tangled, multi-colored yarn inside instead of a brain, representing a psychological disorder.

Examples

El psicólogo diagnosticó un trastorno de ansiedad.

The psychologist diagnosed an anxiety disorder.

Perder el tren fue un gran trastorno para nuestro viaje.

Missing the train was a big inconvenience for our trip.

La nueva ley provocó un trastorno en el mercado inmobiliario.

The new law caused an upheaval in the real estate market.

Always Masculine

Even if the person suffering from the disorder is female, the word 'trastorno' always stays masculine: 'Ella tiene un trastorno'.

Verbs to use with it

When talking about life problems, use 'causar' (to cause) or 'suponer' (to involve/mean). Example: 'Esto supone un trastorno' (This is an inconvenience).

Confusing the noun and adjective

Mistake: “Estoy muy trastorno.”

Correction: Estoy muy trastornado (I am very upset/disturbed). Use 'trastorno' for the 'thing' and 'trastornado' for the 'person'.

revuelto

rre-BWEL-tohreˈβwelto

adjectiveA1general
Use this specifically when referring to an upset stomach or feeling nauseous.
A bowl filled with fluffy yellow scrambled eggs.

Examples

Prefiero los huevos revueltos con un poco de sal.

I prefer scrambled eggs with a bit of salt.

No encuentro mis llaves porque mi habitación está muy revuelta.

I can't find my keys because my room is very messy.

Después del viaje en barco, tengo el estómago revuelto.

After the boat trip, I have an upset stomach.

Matching Gender and Number

Since this acts as a descriptor, it must match the thing it describes. Use 'revuelto' for masculine things (el cuarto) and 'revuelta' for feminine things (la maleta).

Using with 'Estar'

We almost always use this word with the verb 'estar' because being messy or scrambled is a temporary state, not a permanent character trait.

Mixing up 'Messy' words

Mistake: “Mi cuarto es revuelto.”

Correction: Mi cuarto está revuelto. Use 'estar' because a messy room is a condition that can change.

Adjectives vs. Nouns for 'Upset'

Learners often confuse 'disgustado' (adjective, feeling upset) with 'disgusto' (noun, the state of being upset or a distressing event). Remember, you are usually 'disgustado' *because of* a 'disgusto'.

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