mareado
/maɾeˈado/
The Spanish word for lightheaded is mareado.
The term is used to describe the sensation of feeling dizzy or as if you are about to faint. It also covers the sensation of being motion sick.
Which one should you use?
In English, speakers often distinguish between feeling 'lightheaded' and 'dizzy', but in Spanish, mareado is used for both of these sensations as well as for motion sickness.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the person feeling dizzy, so a woman would use the form mareada. The adjective takes the plural form mareados when referring to a group of men or a mixed-gender group. When describing a state of being, this adjective is typically used with the verb estar rather than ser.
How do you pronounce it?
/maɾeˈado/
Did you know?
- The expression marear la perdiz describes someone who is stalling or avoiding a direct answer. It literally translates to 'dizzying the partridge', referring to the act of making a bird flutter aimlessly.
- The verb marear can also mean to annoy or pester someone by repeating the same request or story over and over.
- Depending on the social context and region, telling someone you are mareado may be interpreted as saying you are intoxicated.
Examples in context
- Me siento mareado/a.I feel lightheaded.
- Siento un poco de aturdimiento.I feel a bit lightheaded.
- Tengo vahídos.I have lightheadedness.
- Me siento un poco mareado.I feel a little lightheaded.
- ¿Estás mareado por el calor?Are you feeling dizzy because of the heat?
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are sitting in a park on a very hot day.
- ElenaMateo, ¿te encuentras bien?Mateo, are you okay?
- MateoNo, me siento muy mareado.No, I feel very lightheaded.
- ElenaSiéntate a la sombra ahora mismo.Sit in the shade right now.
- MateoGracias, Elena, me vendrá bien.Thanks, Elena, that will help me.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry mareado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
