tristeza
/tɾisˈteθa/feminine
The English word 'sadness' is translated into Spanish as tristeza. Wiktionary also lists engurrio.
Meaning: state/emotion (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tristeza | /tɾisˈteθa/ /tɾisˈtesa/ |
feminine |
| engurrio | /enˈɡurjo/ | masculine |
Both tristeza and engurrio refer to the state or emotion of sadness. You might use adjectives like triste to describe a person or thing as being sad.
Which one should you use?
tristeza is a noun used to name the emotion of sadness, whereas triste is the adjective used to describe someone or something as feeling sad.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, the word pena is used to mean sorrow or grief.
How does it change in a sentence?
tristeza is a feminine noun, which means it requires feminine articles and adjectives, such as la tristeza or una gran tristeza.
How do you pronounce it?
/tɾisˈteθa/
Did you know?
- Spanish has the word desahogo to describe the specific relief of sadness that comes from crying or talking about one's feelings.
- While tristeza is the standard word for 'sadness', the word pena in many Spanish-speaking countries can mean both 'sadness' and 'embarrassment' depending on the context.
- While 'triste' is the standard adjective for 'sad', the word amargado is often used to describe a person whose sadness has turned into a bitter, resentful attitude toward life. It describes a person who is not just sad, but 'bitter'.
Examples in context
- La tristeza sustituyó a la alegría.Sadness has replaced joy.This sentence shows the replacement of one emotion with tristeza.Tatoeba #1431466 by Shishir, translation #10016477 by espamatics
- Sus ojos estaban llenos de tristeza.Her eyes were full of sadness.This sentence describes eyes that are full of tristeza.Tatoeba #1068510 by Shishir, translation #867904 by sysko
- Sus ojos mostraban una gran tristeza.His eyes showed a profound sadness.This sentence uses tristeza to describe a profound emotion shown in someone's eyes.Tatoeba #8912099 by mialiesperantistas, translation #8962730 by DJ_Saidez
- Tengo mucha pena.I feel a lot of sorrow.
- Me invade la nostalgia.Nostalgia overwhelms me.
- Juan le dijo a su jefe, "Siento un gran pesar por la pérdida de un cliente tan valioso."Juan told his boss, "I feel a great sorrow over the loss of such a valuable client."
- María le confesó a su amiga, "Ando de bajón porque no aprobé el examen."María confided in her friend, "I am feeling down because I didn't pass the exam."
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía is comforting Javier after a bad day.
- LucíaSiento mucha tristeza por lo que pasó.I feel great sadness for what happened.
- JavierGracias, Lucía. Ha sido un día difícil.Thanks, Lucía. It has been a difficult day.
- LucíaNo dejes que la tristeza te gane.Don't let the sadness overcome you.
- JavierLo intentaré, Javier estará mejor mañana.I will try, Javier will be better tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sadness” translations and entries tristeza, engurrio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
