Introduction
Being able to say how you feel and describe someone's character makes your Spanish feel personal and expressive. This lesson covers common emotions, personality adjectives, and the important distinction between ser (permanent traits) and estar (temporary states) with these words.
Emotions & States (with Estar)
These describe how someone feels right now — use estar:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| contento/a | happy / content |
| feliz | happy |
| triste | sad |
| enojado/a / enfadado/a | angry |
| preocupado/a | worried |
| nervioso/a | nervous |
| cansado/a | tired |
| aburrido/a | bored |
| emocionado/a | excited |
| sorprendido/a | surprised |
| asustado/a | scared |
| confundido/a | confused |
| frustrado/a | frustrated |
| avergonzado/a | embarrassed |
| tranquilo/a | calm |
| estresado/a | stressed |
Examples
- Estoy contenta hoy. — I'm happy today.
- Ella está preocupada por el examen. — She's worried about the exam.
- Estamos cansados. — We're tired.
Personality Traits (with Ser)
These describe what someone is like as a person — use ser:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| simpático/a | nice / friendly |
| antipático/a | unfriendly |
| amable | kind |
| generoso/a | generous |
| egoísta | selfish |
| divertido/a | funny / fun |
| serio/a | serious |
| tímido/a | shy |
| extrovertido/a | extroverted |
| inteligente | intelligent |
| trabajador/a | hardworking |
| perezoso/a | lazy |
| paciente | patient |
| impaciente | impatient |
| honesto/a | honest |
| responsable | responsible |
| optimista | optimistic |
| pesimista | pessimistic |
Examples
- Mi hermano es muy divertido. — My brother is very funny.
- Ella es tímida pero amable. — She's shy but kind.
- Somos trabajadores. — We're hardworking.
Ser vs Estar with the Same Adjective
Remember, some adjectives change meaning depending on the verb:
| With Ser (trait) | With Estar (state) |
|---|---|
| Es aburrido. (He's boring.) | Está aburrido. (He's bored.) |
| Es listo. (He's clever.) | Está listo. (He's ready.) |
| Es malo. (He's a bad person.) | Está malo. (He's sick.) |
| Es vivo. (He's sharp/lively.) | Está vivo. (He's alive.) |
| Es seguro. (It's safe.) | Está seguro. (He's sure/certain.) |
Expressing Feelings
With estar + adjective
- Estoy nervioso por la entrevista. — I'm nervous about the interview.
With tener + noun
- Tengo miedo. — I'm afraid. (lit. "I have fear.")
- Tengo vergüenza. — I'm embarrassed.
- Tengo sueño. — I'm sleepy.
- Tengo hambre. — I'm hungry.
- Tengo sed. — I'm thirsty.
With sentirse (to feel)
- Me siento bien/mal. — I feel good/bad.
- Me siento solo/a. — I feel lonely.
- ¿Cómo te sientes? — How do you feel?
With ponerse (to become — sudden change)
- Me puse nervioso. — I got nervous.
- Se puso triste. — He/She became sad.
- Se pusieron contentos. — They became happy.
Practice
How do you say 'She is worried'?
'Es aburrido' vs 'Está aburrido' — what's the difference?
How do you say 'I'm afraid' in Spanish?
'Se puso triste' means…