estoy preocupado
/estoi pɾeokupado/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I am worried" is expressed in Spanish as estoy preocupado.
The phrase estoy preocupado is used to express that one feels anxious or uneasy about a particular situation. Other ways to convey worry include Me preocupa (It worries me), Tengo preocupaciones (I have worries) and Me tiene preocupado(a) (It has me worried). If you want to express that you are really worried, you can say Me preocupa un montón (It worries me a lot/I am really worried). Additionally, Estoy inquieto(a) can be used to mean "I am restless" as a way to convey worry.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, the verb estar is used because being worried is a temporary emotional state rather than a permanent characteristic. If the speaker is female, the ending of the adjective changes from -o to -a, resulting in estoy preocupada. To indicate the cause of the worry, the phrase is typically followed by the preposition por, forming estar preocupado por Vertically (to be worried about).
How do you pronounce it?
/estoi pɾeokupado/
Did you know?
- If you want to say you are 'very worried' in a way that sounds more idiomatic, you can say estoy con el alma en un hilo, which literally translates to 'I have my soul on a thread'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, if someone is 'worried' to the point of pacing or restlessness, they might be described as estar con el Jesús en la boca, meaning they have 'Jesus in their mouth'.
- While preocupado means 'worried', its literal roots in Spanish suggest 'occupying the mind', implying that the worry has taken up all the available space in the speaker's head.
Examples in context
- Estoy preocupado por la salud de mi madre.I am worried about my mother's health.This sentence is useful for expressing worry regarding a specific person's health using estoy preocupado.Tatoeba #743549 by Shishir, translation #320596 by CC
- Estoy preocupado por el resultado de la reuniónI am worried about the outcome of the meeting
- Me preocupa que no hayamos encontrado una soluciónIt worries me that we haven't found a solution
- Estoy inquieta por el estado de salud de mi familiaI am worried about the health of my family
- Tengo preocupaciones respecto a mi trabajoI have worries regarding my job
- Me preocupa un montón lo que está pasandoI am really worried about what's happening
- Me tiene preocupado(a) la situación financieraThe financial situation has me worried
- Estoy con la mosca detrás de la oreja sobre su comportamientoI am worried about his behavior
- Estoy realmente preocupada por la situación en el paísI am really worried about the situation in the country
- Me tiene preocupado el plazo de entregaThe deadline has me worried
- Estoy inquieto por la reacción de mi jefeI am worried about my boss's reaction
- Estoy preocupado por el examen de mañana.I am worried about tomorrow's exam.
- No duermo bien porque estoy preocupado.I am not sleeping well because I am worried.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are talking at a cafe about his job.
- SofíaMateo, ¿por qué tienes esa cara?Mateo, why do you have that look on your face?
- MateoEs que estoy preocupado por mi nuevo trabajo.It's just that I am worried about my new job.
- SofíaNo te preocupes, lo harás muy bien.Don't worry, you will do very well.
- MateoGracias, Sofía, espero que tengas razón.Thanks, Sofía, I hope you are right.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
