B2 · 50 words
Saying feelings more exactly in Spanish
Between annoyed and hurt lie five Spanish words; here they are.
La ilusión is the word a dictionary will mislead you about. Yes, una ilusión óptica is an optical illusion. But nine times out of ten la ilusión is happy anticipation: le hace mucha ilusión el viaje means she is really looking forward to the trip, ¡qué ilusión! is delight at good news, and con mucha ilusión describes somebody starting something full of hope. English has no noun for it — « excitement » is too loud and « anticipation » too cold — so it comes out as a verb phrase every time. The trap is worse than an ordinary false friend, because the wrong reading also makes sense: somebody full of ilusión is not deluded about anything.
The words
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Verb (4)
indignarto outrageVerbB2
Me indigna que nadie avisara.It outrages me that nobody said anything.
defraudarto disappointVerbB2
Nos defraudó la respuesta.The answer disappointed us.
agobiarseto feel overwhelmedVerbB2
Se agobia con dos cosas a la vez.She feels overwhelmed with two things at once.
incomodarto make somebody uncomfortableVerbB2
Me incomoda hablar de dinero.Talking about money makes me uncomfortable.
Phrase (6)
la vergüenza ajenathe shame felt for somebody elsePhraseB2
Sentí vergüenza ajena.I felt the shame for somebody else.
la nostalgia de algothe longing for something gonePhraseB2
Tiene nostalgia de aquellos años.She has a longing for those years.
el desconcierto inicialthe bewilderment at the startPhraseB2
El desconcierto inicial pasó pronto.The bewilderment at the start soon passed.
la sorpresa agradablethe nice surprisePhraseB2
Fue una sorpresa agradable.It was a nice surprise.
la culpa injustificadathe guilt that was never earnedPhraseB2
La culpa injustificada es la más pesada.The guilt that was never earned is the heaviest of all.
la envidia sanathe envy with no ill will in itPhraseB2
Le da envidia sana su tranquilidad.She envies his peace and quiet, with no ill will in it.
Noun (f) (21)
la rabiathe rageNoun (f)B2
Me da rabia perder el tiempo así.It fills me with rage to waste time like this.
la indignaciónthe outrage at unfairnessNoun (f)B2
La indignación duró una semana.The outrage at the unfairness lasted a week.
la irritaciónthe low-level rage that shows in the voiceNoun (f)B2
La irritación se notaba en el tono.The low-level rage showed in the voice.
la decepciónthe disappointmentNoun (f)B2
La decepción pesa más que el enfado.The disappointment weighs more than the annoyance.
la frustraciónthe frustration of disappointment repeatedNoun (f)B2
La frustración viene de esperar demasiado.The frustration comes of waiting too long.
la impotenciathe helplessnessNoun (f)B2
La impotencia es peor que la pérdida.The helplessness is worse than the loss.
la satisfacciónthe satisfactionNoun (f)B2
La satisfacción llegó al día siguiente.The satisfaction came the next day.
la inquietudthe uneaseNoun (f)B2
La inquietud creció con el silencio.The unease grew with the silence.
la angustiathe anguish, the unease that gripsNoun (f)B2
La angustia aparece de madrugada.The anguish shows up in the small hours.
la añoranzathe missing of what is goneNoun (f)B2
La añoranza vuelve en las fiestas.The missing of what is gone comes back at holidays.
la melancolíathe melancholyNoun (f)B2
La melancolía no es tristeza.Melancholy is not sadness.
la desganathe want of any appetite for itNoun (f)B2
Lo hizo con desgana.He did it with no appetite for it at all.
la ilusiónthe happy looking forward to somethingNoun (f)B2
Le hace mucha ilusión el viaje.She is really looking forward to the trip.
la esperanzathe hope of something turning out wellNoun (f)B2
La esperanza duró hasta el último día.The hope held out until the last day.
la indiferenciathe indifferenceNoun (f)B2
La indiferencia duele más que la crítica.Indifference hurts more than criticism.
la desconfianzathe lasting suspicionNoun (f)B2
La desconfianza tarda años en irse.The lasting suspicion takes years to go.
la calmathe calmNoun (f)B2
La calma volvió sola.The calm came back by itself.
la ternurathe tendernessNoun (f)B2
Lo dijo con ternura.She said it with tenderness.
la compasiónthe fellow feeling for somebody sufferingNoun (f)B2
La compasión no es lástima.Fellow feeling for somebody suffering is not pity.
la lástimathe pity, the feeling from aboveNoun (f)B2
No quiere que le tengan lástima.He does not want people to feel pity for him.
la gratitudthe gratitudeNoun (f)B2
La gratitud llegó tarde pero llegó.The gratitude came late, but it came.
Noun (m) (19)
el enfadothe annoyanceNoun (m)B2
El enfado se le pasó al rato.The annoyance wore off after a while.
el resentimientothe resentment stored upNoun (m)B2
El resentimiento se acumula sin ruido.The resentment stored up builds without a sound.
el rencorthe grudge, the resentment keptNoun (m)B2
No le guarda rencor.She holds no grudge against him.
el bochornothe embarrassment in front of everybodyNoun (m)B2
Fue un bochorno para todos.It was an embarrassment in front of everybody.
el orgullothe prideNoun (m)B2
El orgullo le impidió pedir ayuda.Pride kept him from asking for help.
el aliviothe reliefNoun (m)B2
El alivio fue enorme.The relief was enormous.
el desasosiegothe restlessness insideNoun (m)B2
El desasosiego no lo dejaba dormir.The restlessness inside would not let him sleep.
el agobiothe being weighed downNoun (m)B2
El agobio del trabajo se llevó el verano.The being weighed down by work took the summer away.
el entusiasmothe enthusiasmNoun (m)B2
El entusiasmo se contagia.Enthusiasm is catching.
el desconciertothe bewildermentNoun (m)B2
El desconcierto fue general.The bewilderment was general.
el asombrothe amazementNoun (m)B2
El asombro le duró un minuto.The amazement lasted him a minute.
el recelothe wariness, the suspicion of the momentNoun (m)B2
Lo miró con recelo.She looked at it with wariness.
el temorthe fear of what may comeNoun (m)B2
El temor era razonable.The fear of what might come was reasonable.
el pánicothe panicNoun (m)B2
El pánico duró unos segundos.The panic lasted a few seconds.
el sosiegothe settled calmNoun (m)B2
Necesita sosiego, no consejos.He needs settled calm, not advice.
el cariñothe fondness for somebodyNoun (m)B2
Le tiene cariño desde niña.She has been fond of him since she was a child.
el afectothe quiet fondnessNoun (m)B2
El afecto se demuestra en lo pequeño.Quiet fondness shows itself in small things.
el remordimientothe gnawing at the conscienceNoun (m)B2
El remordimiento le duró meses.The gnawing at the conscience lasted him months.
el arrepentimientothe regret at the conscience for what was doneNoun (m)B2
El arrepentimiento no cambia el hecho.The regret does not change what was done.
This list belongs to People and feelings — 13 lists and 640 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.