adicción
/adiɡˈθjon/feminine
The English word "addiction" is translated into Spanish as adicción. Wiktionary also lists vicio and dependencia.
Meaning: the state of being addicted (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| adicción | /adiɡˈθjon/ /adiɡˈsjon/ |
feminine |
| vicio | /ˈbiθjo/ /ˈbisjo/ |
masculine |
| dependencia | /depenˈdenθja/ /depenˈdensja/ |
feminine |
Adicción is a feminine noun used to describe the state of being addicted. Because it is feminine, any adjectives used to describe it must also be in the feminine form, such as una adicción grave.
Which one should you use?
While adicción refers to a clinical or physiological addiction, vicio is often used to describe a bad habit or a moral vice. Additionally, dependencia is used to express dependency, often in a medical or formal context regarding a physical or psychological reliance on a substance.
How does it change in a sentence?
When specifying what someone is addicted to, the noun adicción is typically followed by the preposition a. For example, adicción a las drogas means "addiction to drugs".
How do you pronounce it?
/adiɡˈθjon/
Did you know?
- While vicio refers to a 'vice' or 'addiction', it is also used in common phrases to describe a 'trick' or a 'knack' for doing something, often in a positive or skilled sense.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, calling a habit a vicio is a common way to soften the clinical weight of adicción when talking about things like smoking or gambling.
- In certain contexts, particularly in older literature, vicio can refer to a physical imperfection or a flaw in an object, similar to how 'vice' is used in English to mean a defect.
Examples in context
- Tu adicción te va a matar.Your addiction is going to kill you.This sentence uses adicción to express a warning about the fatal consequences of an addiction.Tatoeba #2775306 by wallebot, translation #13048631 by araneo
- Incluso durante el trabajo, secretamente satisfago mi adicción por Internet.Even during work, I secretly indulge my Internet addiction.This sentence uses adicción to describe a secret indulgence in an Internet addiction during work.Tatoeba #5865688 by albrusgher, translation #327494 by Zifre
- La adicción a las drogas es un cáncer en la sociedad moderna.Drug addiction is a cancer in modern society.This sentence uses adicción to describe the impact of drug addiction on modern society.Tatoeba #1295152 by marcelostockle, translation #322290 by CK
- Mi hermano lucha contra una adicción al alcohol.My brother is battling alcohol addiction.
- Ella tiene una fuerte dependencia a los videojuegos.She has a strong addiction to video games.
- Desafortunadamente, su toxicomanía lo ha llevado por un camino peligroso.Unfortunately, his drug addiction has led him down a dangerous path.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are discussing a person's struggle with gambling at a cafe.
- DanielSu adicción al juego es muy grave.His gambling addiction is very serious.
- MaríaLo siento mucho por él, Daniel.I am so sorry for him, Daniel.
- DanielNecesita mucha ayuda profesional.He needs a lot of professional help.
- MaríaTienes razón, es un problema difícil.You are right, it is a difficult problem.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “addiction” translations and entries adicción, vicio, dependencia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
