fobia
/ˈfobja/feminine
The English phrase 'phobia' is fobia in Spanish.
fobia is a feminine noun used to describe an irrational or obsessive fear or anxiety. When expressing what a phobia is directed toward, the noun is typically followed by the preposition a, forming the construction fobia a (phobia of).
Meaning: irrational or obsessive fear or anxiety (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of fobia is fobias.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈfobja/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, fobia is used in a hyperbolic way to mean a 'hatred' or 'antipathy' toward a specific social group or ideology.
- While fobia is the formal term, Spanish speakers often use the phrase me da pánico to express a phobia in daily conversation.
- The word fobia belongs to a category of Spanish nouns ending in -ia that are almost exclusively feminine, making its gender predictable for advanced students.
Examples in context
- Ella tiene fobia a los perros.She has a phobia of dogs.This sentence is useful for showing how to use fobia with the preposition a.Tatoeba #5428246 by Seael, translation #7803159 by sharris123
- Tienes miedo a las arañasYou're afraid of spiders
- Le tiene pánico a las alturasThey have a phobia of heights
- Mi fobia a la oscuridad es muy fuerte.My phobia of the dark is very strong.
- Esa fobia se puede tratar con terapia.That phobia can be treated with therapy.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are talking about a scary movie at home.
- Lucía¿Tienes fobia a las arañas, Mateo?Do you have a phobia of spiders, Mateo?
- MateoNo, pero me dan mucho miedo.No, but they scare me a lot.
- LucíaPara mí, es una fobia real.For me, it is a real phobia.
- MateoLo siento mucho, Lucía.I am very sorry, Lucia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “phobia” translations and entries fobia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
