Inklingo

How to Say "you doubt" in Spanish

English → Spanish

dudas

/DOO-das//ˈduðas/

verbA2informal
Use 'dudas' when you want to express a lack of certainty or belief in something or someone's words or actions.
A skeptical character folding their arms and looking doubtfully at another character who is holding out an apple.

Examples

Si dudas de mi compromiso, solo tienes que decírmelo.

If you doubt my commitment, you just have to tell me.

Veo que dudas sobre qué camino tomar.

I see that you are hesitating about which road to take.

Dudar and Prepositions

When you doubt a person or a fact, you usually need the preposition de (of/about): 'Dudas de lo que dice.' (You doubt what he says.)

Doubt and Subjunctive

The verb dudar (to doubt) often requires the next verb to be in a special form called the Subjunctive, because it expresses uncertainty: 'Dudo que él venga.' (I doubt that he comes.)

Forgetting 'de'

Mistake: “Dudas su palabra.”

Correction: Dudas de su palabra. (The verb *dudar* often demands the preposition *de*.)

sospechas

so-SPEH-chas/soˈspe.tʃas/

verbA2informal
Use 'sospechas' when you want to convey that you feel something is wrong or that someone might be hiding something, implying a suspicion.
A young person dressed like a detective is pointing an accusing finger directly at a small, nervous dog standing next to a broken cookie jar.

Examples

¿Tú sospechas algo de lo que dijo Juan?

Do you suspect anything about what Juan said?

Si sospechas que algo está mal, debes decirlo.

If you suspect that something is wrong, you should say it.

Siempre sospechas de mis intenciones.

You always suspect my intentions.

Regular Verb Pattern

The verb 'sospechar' is a perfectly regular '-ar' verb. Once you know the pattern for a verb like 'hablar' (to talk), you know how to conjugate 'sospechar' in all tenses!

Using the wrong preposition

Mistake: “Sospecho en él. (I suspect in him.)”

Correction: Sospecho de él. (I suspect him/I suspect of him.) The verb 'sospechar' usually needs the small word 'de' (of/about) before the person or thing you doubt.

Dudas vs. Sospechas

Learners often confuse 'dudas' and 'sospechas' because both can imply uncertainty. Remember that 'dudas' is about lacking belief, while 'sospechas' is about feeling something is amiss or potentially deceitful.

Related Translations

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