It is true that nowadays most of our communication is online. We can express anything through smiles and gifs. The same happens in the real world where when we do not know how to express our feelings and we simply smile, laugh, or frown. You have probably caught yourself just saying sí and no in Spanish when trying to express your feelings. Add a smile or two, and maybe this is the best that you can do. Fortunately, by the end of this post, you will be able to say more than sí/ no and actually manage to express your feelings.
Let’s start by learning how to express happiness. There are three common ways of doing so:
- Estoy contento(a)
This means that I am happy. You can use this expression to express your general satisfaction or happiness.
Example: Estoy contento de tener que trabajar menos que ayer.
Translation: I am happy that I have to work less than yesterday.
- Estoy feliz
This expression also means I am happy. Although it has a similar meaning to the expression from above, estoy feliz means that you are a bit more excited and joyful.
Example: Estoy feliz porque he ganado el premio.
Translation: I am happy because I have won the prize.
- Me alegro or estoy alegre
The first expression comes from the verb alegrarse, which is reflexive. It means that I am happy or that I am glad. You can relate it to the English expression I am happy to hear that. The second expression, means that I am happy.
Example: Me alegro de recibir esa noticia.
Translation: I am happy to hear this news.
On the other hand, you also need to express sadness and fury in Spanish. Below are some common ways to do so.
- Estoy triste
This means I am sad. You use this expression when you are feeling down.
Example: Estoy triste porque mis padres no me dejan salir.
Translation: I am sad because my parents do not let me go out.
- Estoy enfadado (a) and estoy enojado (a)
These two expressions are used to express anger. The main difference between the two is the region where they are used. The adjective enojado is more commonly used in Latin América, while the adjective enfadado is more frequently used in Spain.
Example: Estoy enfadado/ enojado porque se me ha roto la bicicleta.
Translation: I am angry because my bicycle broke down.
These are some of the most common ways of expressing feelings in Spanish. Of course, there are many more options to do so, such as expressing your love for someone or on the contrary, the hate for them. In addition, you can also express indifference, but we will cover these topics on a later post. If you want to learn more about this topic, you can contact me, or check out this post by Fluentu, which has many more useful expressions on this topic. After all, you can’t just smile and wave your whole life.
