What does it mean word for word?
estoy is the form of the verb for I am that describes states, and feliz means happy.
Which one should you use?
Estoy contento/contenta is a close alternative that also means I am happy or pleased. Estoy encantado/encantada means I am delighted. For great joy among close friends, Estoy contentísimo/contentísima says you are extremely happy. soy feliz means I am a happy person and describes a lasting trait or a long state of happiness, not a feeling of the moment.
How does it change in a sentence?
feliz stays the same for men and women. In the alternatives with contento, a woman says contenta and a man says contento. The same goes for encantado and encantada.
How do you pronounce it?
feliz ends with the sound /θ/, like the th in think, which is how most of Spain says the final letter. In Latin America the word ends with an s sound instead.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often say soy feliz when they mean they feel happy at this moment. Use estoy feliz for a present feeling and keep soy feliz for describing who you are.
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers sometimes use the phrase estar como un niño con zapatos nuevos to describe being as happy as a child with new shoes.
- While estoy feliz expresses joy, the root of contento comes from the Latin word for 'contained'. It describes a feeling of being satisfied or having enough.
- Using estoy encantado to express happiness when meeting someone is a social convention that functions as a greeting rather than a description of a mood.
Examples in context
- Estoy feliz con mi novia.I am happy with my girlfriend.Here Estoy feliz is followed by con to name the person you are happy with.Tatoeba #1345673 by marcelostockle, translation #1758716 by shanghainese
- Estoy feliz de oír tu voz.I am happy to hear your voice.Adding de and a verb, as in de oír, says what makes you happy.Tatoeba #1142228 by marcelostockle, translation #70500 by CK
- Estoy feliz de verte aquí.I am happy to see you here.Again de introduces the reason, here verte, to see you.Tatoeba #1166013 by marcelostockle, translation #62006 by CK
- ¡Estoy muy contento por ti!I'm very happy for you!
- Estoy feliz de verteI am happy to see you
- Estoy contenta de formar parte de este equipoI am happy to be part of this team
- Estoy feliz de pasar tiempo contigoI am happy to spend time with you
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are walking through a sunny park.
- AlejandroHoy estoy feliz por este clima.Today I am happy because of this weather.
- ElenaYo también estoy feliz de caminar contigo.I am also happy to walk with you.
- AlejandroEs un día muy bonito para nosotros.It is a very beautiful day for us.
- ElenaSí, me siento muy contenta.Yes, I feel very content.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
