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In Spanish, we often use the verb estar to express our current feelings or emotions.
Estoy feliz.
I’m happy.
Estoy aburrida.
I’m bored.
Estoy emocionado.
I’m excited.
Estoy nerviosa.
I’m nervous.
¿Cómo te sientes?
How do you feel?
Me siento animado.
I feel lively.
Me siento relajada.
I feel relaxed.
Me siento fatal.
I feel terrible.
Notice how the adjectives’ endings change. It’s -o for Pablo (male), -a for Luisa (female), -as for
nosotras, and -os for ellos. (To learn more about this concept, check out our lesson on
using adjectives with ser and estar.)
“Having” Feelings
Finally, several emotions in Spanish use the verb tener (to have) along with a noun instead of an
adjective. The good news is that you don’t need to change the end of the noun to agree with the
gender or quantity. (Just pay attention to whether it’s tiene for a singular subject or tienen for a
plural subject.)
The most common uses of tener to express feelings or emotions in Spanish include:
Spanish
el amor
el celos
la envidia
el agradecimiento
la preocupación
el optimismo
la felicidad
la tristeza
el miedo
la calma
el estrés
Sad Emotions
Spanish
deprimido/a
dolido/a
triste
infeliz
preocupado/a
incómodo/a
agobiado/a
avergonzado/a
desesperado/a
inseguro/a
Miscellaneous Emotions
Spanish
aburrido/a
ocupado/a
cómodo/a
confundido/a
sensible
tímido/a
sorprendido/a
optimista
pessimista
cansado/a
inquieto/a