situación
/sitwaˈθjon/feminine
The English phrase "situation" can be translated into Spanish as situación, estado or tesitura.
Meaning: combination of circumstances at a given moment, state of affairs (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| situación | /sitwaˈθjon/ /sitwaˈsjon/ |
feminine |
| estado | /esˈtado/ | masculine |
| tesitura | /tesiˈtuɾa/ | feminine |
The primary way to express a combination of circumstances at a given moment or a state of affairs is to use situación.
Which one should you use?
While situación refers to a set of circumstances, estado is used to describe the physical or mental condition of something or someone. Tesitura is a more formal or literary term often used to describe a person's position or the specific difficulty of a situation.
How do you pronounce it?
/sitwaˈθjon/
Did you know?
- Although it means 'situation', the word tesitura is most commonly used in Spanish to refer to the range of a singer's voice, specifically their vocal tessitura.
- In certain historical contexts, the word estado was used as a unit of length, approximately representing the height of an adult man.
- In certain contexts, situación can be used as a euphemism in Spanish to refer to a person's financial status or wealth.
Examples in context
- Es una situación fea.It's an ugly situation.Tatoeba #3519026 by teskmon, translation #3518525 by CK
- La situación es seria.The situation is serious.Tatoeba #1448050 by marcelostockle, translation #7796010 by sharris123
- Él salvó la situación.He saved the situation.Tatoeba #1694227 by marcelostockle, translation #3764987 by cromwellt
- La situación económica del país es preocupante.The economic situation of the country is concerning.
- Estamos enfrentando una coyuntura política muy delicada.We are facing a very delicate political situation.
- No te metas en ese lío, es mejor mantenerse al margen.Don't get involved in that mess, it's better to stay out of it.
- Me encuentro en un aprieto económico debido a los gastos imprevistos.I'm in a financial bind due to unforeseen expenses.
- Mi hermano se metió en un embrollo amoroso difícil de resolver.My brother got himself into a complicated love situation that's hard to solve.
- 224 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are discussing a problem at work.
- ElenaLa situación en la oficina es difícil.The situation in the office is difficult.
- MateoSí, comprendo tu situación, Elena.Yes, I understand your situation, Elena.
- Elena¿Crees que la situación mejorará pronto?Do you think the situation will improve soon?
- MateoEspero que la situación cambie para bien.I hope the situation changes for the better.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “situation” translations and entries situación, estado, tesitura, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries estado, situación, tesitura, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
