Inklingo

How to Say "worry" in Spanish

English → Spanish

preocupación

nounA2general
Use this word for the general feeling or state of being worried about something specific, like a situation or a person's well-being.

Examples

Tengo mucha preocupación por su examen de mañana.

I have a lot of worry about his exam tomorrow.

ansiedad

ahn-syay-DAHD/ansjeˈðað/

nounB1general
This term refers to a more intense or persistent feeling of unease, nervousness, or dread, often without a specific identifiable cause.
A small child sitting on the floor, hugging their knees tightly, with a worried or distressed expression. A small, dark gray cloud hovers directly above the child's head.

Examples

La falta de trabajo le causa una gran ansiedad.

The lack of work causes him great anxiety.

Sufre de mucha ansiedad social cuando tiene que hablar en público.

She suffers from a lot of social anxiety when she has to speak in public.

El médico le recomendó ejercicios de respiración para controlar la ansiedad.

The doctor recommended breathing exercises to control the anxiety.

Sentía una ansiedad terrible antes de los exámenes finales.

He felt terrible worry before the final exams.

Gender Reminder

Remember that 'ansiedad' is always a feminine word, so you must use 'la' before it (la ansiedad) and feminine adjectives after it (ansiedad profunda).

False Cognate Alert

Mistake: “Using 'ansiedad' to mean 'annoyance' or 'anger.'”

Correction: Ansiedad refers specifically to worry or eagerness, not irritation. Use 'molestia' or 'rabia' for annoyance/anger.

preocupe

/pre-oh-KOO-peh//pɾeoˈkupe/

verbB1formal
Use this form as a formal command (usted) meaning 'don't worry', often used to reassure someone.
A smiling, peaceful teddy bear character sitting cross-legged on a fluffy blue cushion against a bright, sunny background, demonstrating a lack of worry.

Examples

No se preocupe, todo saldrá bien.

Don't worry, everything will be fine.

No se preocupe por mi llegada tarde; ya estoy aquí.

Don't worry about my late arrival; I'm already here.

Es crucial que mi jefe se preocupe por el bienestar del equipo.

It is crucial that my boss worries about the team's well-being.

Dudo que ella se preocupe realmente por el problema.

I doubt that she really worries about the problem.

The Special 'Worry' Form (Subjunctive)

'Preocupe' is the special verb form (the subjunctive) used when you talk about wishes, doubts, emotions, or necessary actions. You use it after phrases like 'Espero que...' (I hope that...) or 'Dudo que...' (I doubt that...).

Formal Command Form

When giving a command to someone formally (usted), 'preocupe' is the core of the command. In the very common phrase 'Don't worry,' you add the reflexive pronoun: 'No se preocupe.'

Forgetting the 'Se'

Mistake: “No preocupe por esto.”

Correction: No se preocupe por esto. When talking about worrying yourself, you must include the little word 'se' before the verb form.

Noun vs. Verb Confusion

Learners often confuse 'preocupación' (noun: worry) with 'preocupe' (verb: don't worry). Remember that 'preocupación' describes the feeling, while 'preocupe' is a command directed at someone else to stop feeling worried.

Related Translations

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