melancolía
/melankoˈlia/feminine
The English word 'melancholy' is translated into Spanish as melancolía. Wiktionary also lists engurrio and melarchía.
Meaning: Sadness or depression (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| melancolía | /melankoˈlia/ | feminine |
| engurrio | /enˈɡurjo/ | masculine |
| melarchía | /melaɾt͡ʃia/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The word refers to sadness or depression. While melancolía describes this state, other words may be more appropriate depending on the specific nuance. For example, tristeza is widely used in spoken language to express various degrees of sadness, including melancholy. If you are describing a profound, emotional state of sorrow, you might use the formal term pesadumbre. If the melancholy is specifically tied to a sense of longing or nostalgia, añoranza is the preferred term.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun melancolía is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/melankoˈlia/
Did you know?
- The word melancolía shares an ancient medical history with the English word, as both trace back to the Greek concept of 'black bile' being a physical fluid in the body.
- In Spanish literature, melancolía was historically viewed not just as sadness but as a 'noble' or 'intellectual' suffering often attributed to artists and poets.
- In some traditional contexts, a person feeling melancolía might be described as having morriña, a Galician term for a deep, homesick melancholy that is recognized across the Spanish-speaking world.
Examples in context
- Por lo tanto, odiaba la melancolía.Hence, loathed melancholy.This sentence shows how to express loathing melancholy.Tatoeba #5714597 by albrusgher, translation #19448 by Objectivesea
- Él se vio abrumado por una sensación de melancolía.He was overcome by a feeling of melancholy.This sentence illustrates being overcome by a feeling of melancholy.Tatoeba #1249185 by marcelostockle, translation #304427 by CM
- Es un dispositivo único capaz de hacer desaparecer el estrés y la melancolía.It's a unique device able to make stress and melancholy vanish.This sentence shows the use of the word to describe making melancholy vanish.Tatoeba #1249189 by marcelostockle, translation #684070 by papabear
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are talking about a sad movie.
- SofíaEsta película me dejó llena de melancolía.This movie left me full of melancholy.
- AlejandroLo entiendo, el final fue muy triste.I understand, the ending was very sad.
- SofíaSiento una melancolía profunda por los personajes.I feel a deep melancholy for the characters.
- AlejandroEs normal sentirse así después de verla.It's normal to feel that way after watching it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “melancholy” translations and entries melancolía, engurrio, melarchía, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries melancolía, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
