Spanish Emotions Vocabulary: Express Feelings in Spanish Like a Native
Last updated: February 11, 2026
Spanish has this rich emotional vocabulary that lets you express everything from mild annoyance to absolute joy, and honestly, mastering these words makes your Spanish sound way more natural.😃 When you're stuck with just basic phrases like "estoy bien" (I'm fine), you miss out on actually connecting with people. Let me walk you through the essential Spanish emotions vocabulary you need to start expressing yourself properly when learning Spanish.
- Understanding the basics of emotion vocabulary in Spanish
- The two essential verbs for expressing feelings
- Basic positive emotions in Spanish
- Essential negative emotions and feelings
- The 7 basic emotional expressions
- 10 powerful emotive words to add depth
- Using intensifiers for stronger emotion
- Mixed and complex emotions in Spanish
- Common phrases for expressing feelings and emotions in Spanish
- Nouns for emotions vs. adjectives
- Gender agreement matters
- Cultural context for expressing emotions
- Tips for learning Spanish emotions vocabulary effectively
Understanding the basics of emotion vocabulary in Spanish
Here's the thing about Spanish emotions vocabulary: you've got two main categories to work with.
- First, there are the emotion adjectives (like "feliz" for happy or "triste" for sad).
- Second, you've got the nouns that describe emotional states (like "la felicidad" for happiness or "la tristeza" for sadness).
Most learners focus only on adjectives, but knowing both gives you way more flexibility when speaking.
The word "sentimientos" means feelings or emotions in Spanish, and you'll hear it constantly in conversations about how someone feels. When someone asks "¿Cómo te sientes?" (How do you feel?), they're asking about your sentimientos.
The two essential verbs for expressing feelings
Before diving into specific emotions, you need to nail down the two main verbs Spanish speakers use to talk about feelings: estar and sentir.
- The verb "estar" works for temporary emotional states. You'd say "Estoy feliz" (I am happy) because happiness is a temporary condition. This verb gets conjugated based on who's feeling the emotion: estoy (I am), estás (You are), está (He/She is), estamos (We are), están (They are).
- The verb "sentir" means "to feel" and works a bit differently. You use it when you want to say "I feel" something specific. For example, "Me siento cansado" (I feel tired) or "Siento tristeza" (I feel sadness). The reflexive form "sentirse" is super common when talking about emotional states.
Quick tip: "Estar" plus an adjective is usually simpler for beginners. "Estoy nervioso" is easier than "Me siento nervioso," even though both work fine.
Basic positive emotions in Spanish
Let's start with the good stuff. These are the emotions you'll use when things are going well:
- Feliz means happy, and it's probably the most common positive emotion you'll express. "Estoy muy feliz" (I'm very happy) works in tons of situations.
- Contento/contenta also means happy or content, but it's slightly less intense than feliz. The ending changes based on gender: contento for males, contenta for females.
- Emocionado/emocionada translates to excited. "Estoy emocionado por el viaje" (I'm excited about the trip) is something you'd actually say.
- Alegre means cheerful or joyful. It's got this lighthearted vibe to it.
- Orgulloso/orgullosa means proud. "Estoy orgulloso de ti" (I'm proud of you) is a phrase worth memorizing.
- Tranquilo/tranquila means calm or peaceful. Spanish speakers use this one constantly.
- Esperanzado/esperanzada means hopeful, which is pretty useful when talking about future plans.
- Agradecido/agradecida means grateful or thankful. You'll definitely need this one.
Essential negative emotions and feelings
Now for the tougher emotions. Learning spanish includes knowing how to express when things aren't great:
- Triste means sad. Simple and essential. "Estoy triste" gets used all the time.
- Enojado/enojada or enfadado/enfadada both mean angry or mad. Regional preferences vary, but both work.
- Frustrado/frustrada means frustrated. Super relevant when you're actually learning spanish and hit a plateau.
- Nervioso/nerviosa means nervous or anxious. "Estoy nervioso por el examen" (I'm nervous about the test) is relatable.
- Preocupado/preocupada means worried. This one comes up in everyday conversation constantly.
- Asustado/asustada means scared or frightened.
- Aburrido/aburrida means bored. The double 'r' pronunciation matters here.
- Cansado/cansada means tired. Technically more physical than emotional, but people use it for mental exhaustion too.
- Celoso/celosa means jealous, which covers both romantic jealousy and envy.
- Confundido/confundida means confused. You'll probably feel this way sometimes when learning Spanish vocabulary.
The 7 basic emotional expressions
Psychologists talk about seven universal emotional expressions that cross cultures. In Spanish, these core emotions are:
Spanish | English | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
Felicidad | Happiness | "La felicidad es importante" (Happiness is important) |
Tristeza | Sadness | The noun form of triste |
Ira | Anger | More intense than just being enojado |
Miedo | Fear | "Tengo miedo" (I have fear/I'm afraid) |
Sorpresa | Surprise | "¡Qué sorpresa!" (What a surprise!) |
Asco | Disgust | "Me da asco" (It disgusts me) |
Desprecio | Contempt | Less common in everyday conversation |
These seven emotions form the foundation of human emotional expression across languages. Pretty cool how they translate directly into Spanish.
10 powerful emotive words to add depth
Want to sound more fluent? These emotive words add nuance to your Spanish:
Spanish | English | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
Abrumado / abrumada | Overwhelmed | "Me siento abrumado con tanto trabajo" |
Desilusionado / desilusionada | Disappointed | Stronger than just sad |
Ansioso / ansiosa | Anxious | Different from nervioso, more persistent worry |
Entusiasmado / entusiasmada | Enthusiastic | High energy excitement |
Nostálgico / nostálgica | Nostalgic | Missing the past |
Avergonzado / avergonzada | Embarrassed / Ashamed | "Estoy avergonzado" |
Aliviado / aliviada | Relieved | When stress finally lifts |
Satisfecho / satisfecha | Satisfied | Content with an outcome |
Inquieto / inquieta | Restless / uneasy | Can't settle down |
Conmovido / conmovida | Moved / touched emotionally | When something touches your heart |
Using intensifiers for stronger emotion
Spanish speakers love to intensify their emotions. You can't just be happy, you're "super feliz" or "muy contento."
Spanish | English | Explanation / Example |
|---|---|---|
Muy | Very | Basic intensifier: "Estoy muy cansado" (I'm very tired) |
Súper | Super | Works like English "super": "Estoy súper emocionado" |
Bastante | Quite / Rather | "Estoy bastante preocupado" (I'm quite worried) |
Demasiado | Too much | "Estoy demasiado estresado" (I'm too stressed) |
Un poco | A little | "Estoy un poco triste" (I'm a little sad) |
Realmente / Verdaderamente | Really / Truly | "Estoy realmente feliz" |
You can also repeat adjectives for emphasis: "Estoy cansado, cansado" emphasizes just how tired you are.
Mixed and complex emotions in Spanish
Real life involves complicated feelings. Here's how to express them:
Spanish | English | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
Agridulce | Bittersweet | Combines sweet and bitter |
Nostálgico | Nostalgic | Captures that mix of happiness and sadness when remembering the past |
Ambivalente | Ambivalent | When you feel two ways about something |
You can also combine emotions with "pero" (But): "Estoy feliz pero nervioso" (I'm happy but nervous). Or use "a la vez" (At the same time): "Me siento triste y aliviado a la vez" (I feel sad and relieved at the same time).
Common phrases for expressing feelings and emotions in Spanish
Memorize these phrases and you'll sound way more natural:
- "¿Cómo te sientes?" (How do you feel?) or "¿Cómo estás?" (How are you?)
- "Me siento..." (I feel...) followed by any adjective.
- "Estoy de buen humor" (I'm in a good mood) or "Estoy de mal humor" (I'm in a bad mood).
- "Tengo miedo" (I'm afraid, literally "I have fear").
- "Me da vergüenza" (I'm embarrassed, literally "it gives me shame").
- "Me pone nervioso/a" (It makes me nervous).
- "Me hace feliz" (It makes me happy).
- "No me siento bien" (I don't feel well).
- "Estoy harto/a de..." (I'm fed up with...).
- "Me emociona" (It excites me/moves me emotionally).
Nouns for emotions vs. adjectives
Understanding the difference between emotion nouns and adjectives helps you vary your speech.
Most emotion adjectives have corresponding nouns:
- Feliz (Happy) becomes la felicidad (Happiness)
- Triste (Sad) becomes la tristeza (Sadness)
- Enojado (Angry) becomes el enojo or la ira (Anger)
- Nervioso (Nervous) becomes el nerviosismo (Nervousness)
- Miedo (Fear) works as both noun and adjective form
Use nouns when talking about emotions generally: "La tristeza es parte de la vida" (Sadness is part of life).
Use adjectives when describing how someone feels right now: "Estoy triste hoy" (I'm sad today).
Gender agreement matters
Spanish adjectives change endings based on gender. If you're male, you'd say "Estoy cansado." If you're female, "Estoy cansada."
The pattern is usually:
- Masculine: -o ending (contento, nervioso, cansado)
- Feminine: -a ending (contenta, nerviosa, cansada)
Some adjectives stay the same regardless of gender:
- Feliz (Doesn't change)
- Triste (Doesn't change)
- Alegre (Doesn't change)
When describing a group, use masculine plural if there's even one male in the group. All females gets feminine plural.
Cultural context for expressing emotions
Spanish-speaking cultures generally express emotions more openly than some English-speaking cultures. You'll hear people say "Te quiero" (I love you) to friends and family way more casually.
- Physical affection accompanies emotional expression more often. Hugs, kisses on the cheek, and touching while talking are normal.
- Complaining or expressing frustration openly isn't considered rude the same way it might be in some cultures. "Estoy harto" (I'm fed up) is a perfectly acceptable thing to say.
- Regional variations exist. In Spain, "enfadado" is more common for angry, while Latin America prefers "enojado." In Argentina, "bronca" is slang for anger.
Tips for learning Spanish emotions vocabulary effectively
- Start with the 10-15 most common emotions and actually use them in conversation. Don't just memorize lists.
- Keep a feelings journal in Spanish. Write one sentence daily about how you feel: "Hoy me siento cansado porque trabajé mucho."
- Watch Spanish shows and note how characters express emotions. Telenovelas are actually great for this because emotions run high.
- Practice with a language partner by asking "¿Cómo te sientes hoy?" and having real conversations about feelings.
- Connect emotions to personal memories. When you learn "orgulloso," think of a time you felt proud and describe it in Spanish.
- Pay attention to the verb you're using. Estar for temporary states, sentir when you want to emphasize the feeling itself.
Anyway, if you want to practice this vocabulary with real Spanish content, Migaku's browser extension and app let you look up emotion words instantly while watching shows or reading articles. You can build your vocabulary naturally through immersion. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.
Talking about emotions in real conversations builds deeper connections!
When someone asks "¿Cómo estás?", move beyond "bien" (Fine). Try "Estoy un poco cansado pero contento" (I'm a bit tired but happy). This sounds way more natural and leads to further topic discussion and sharing as well. Why are you tired? Why are you happy? Why this mix? Sharing feelings brings people closer than ever. The more you actually use these emotion words in real conversations, the faster they'll stick.
If you consume media in Spanish, and you understand at least some of the messages and sentences within that media, you will make progress. Period.
Reading lists helps, but speaking makes the difference.