tengo celos
/tenɡo θelos/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "I am jealous" is expressed as tengo celos.
This phrase is used to express resentment or insecurity regarding a romantic partner's relationship with others. If you want to specify the source of your jealousy, use the preposition de after the phrase, such as in tengo celos de ti (I am jealous of you). Other ways to express this include Estoy celoso/a de, which is followed by the reason for the jealousy. For a more dramatic way to say you are extremely jealous, you can use the idiom Estoy verde de envidia, which means "I am green with envy".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase tengo celos literally translates to "I have jealousies" rather than "I am jealous."
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun celos is almost always used in its plural form when expressing the feeling of jealousy. You can intensify the feeling by adding de verdad to the phrase, as in Estoy celoso de verdad or by using an exclamation mark to convey intense and immediate jealousy, such as ¡Estoy celoso!
How do you pronounce it?
/tenɡo θelos/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying soy celoso if you mean you are feeling jealous right now. While English speakers often make this mistake, soy celoso actually describes a permanent personality trait, meaning "I am a jealous person."
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, admitting tengo celos can be viewed as a sign of affection or proof that you care deeply for your partner, rather than just an insecurity.
- The Greek root of celos comes from zeîn, which means 'to boil'. This evokes the image of blood boiling with rage or passion.
- In Spanish, you can experience celos not only for a romantic partner but also for a child or a sibling, though the phrasing remains the same.
Examples in context
- Estoy celoso de su nuevo cocheI am jealous of his new car
- ¡Me muero de envidia!I'm dying of jealousy!
- No quiero que hables con él, tengo celos.I don't want you to talk to him, I am jealous.
- A veces tengo celos sin razón.Sometimes I am jealous for no reason.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are discussing a recent party.
- AlejandroVi que hablaste mucho con ese chico.I saw that you talked a lot with that guy.
- LucíaSolo era un amigo, Alejandro.He was just a friend, Alejandro.
- AlejandroLo siento, pero tengo celos.I'm sorry, but I am jealous.
- LucíaNo tienes por qué sentirte así.You don't have to feel that way.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries celos, CC BY-SA 4.0.
