Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| quejarse | /keˈxaɾse/ |
| gimotear | /ximoteˈaɾ/ |
The verb forms express the act of complaining or whining. Related nouns include queja (a complaint or petty concern), gimoteo (the act of whining) and nimiedad (a petty concern).
Which one should you use?
quejarse is the standard, general verb for complaining. In contrast, gimotear specifically implies whining or whimpering in a childish or annoying way. When using nouns, queja refers to a formal or general complaint, whereas gimoteo refers to the act of whining or whimpering.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
quejarse is a pronominal verb, so it must be used with a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) to show that the subject is the one complaining. Unlike quejarse, gimotear is not typically used as a reflexive verb. You gimotear rather than gimotearse.
How do you pronounce it?
/keˈxaɾse/
Did you know?
- The word quejarse is a distant relative of the English word 'quash'. Both terms share a root in the Latin word quassāre, which originally meant to shake or buffet.
- While 'to gripe' in English can mean to complain, the Spanish verb quejarse can also be used in a medical context to describe someone experiencing physical pain.
- The verb gimotear is derived from gemir, which means 'to moan'. This links the act of whining to a deep expression of grief or physical agony.
Example sentences for Spanish are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gripe” translations and entries quejarse, gimotear, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gimotear, quejarse, CC BY-SA 4.0.
