ansiedad social
/ansjeˌdad soˈθjal/feminine
The phrase for social anxiety in Spanish is ansiedad social. Wiktionary also lists ansiedad interpersonal.
Meaning: discomfort or fear in social situation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ansiedad social | /ansjeˌdad soˈθjal/ /ansjeˌdad soˈsjal/ |
feminine |
| ansiedad interpersonal | /ansjedad inteɾpeɾsonal/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
Ansiedad social is used to describe discomfort or fear in social situations.
Which one should you use?
ansiedad interpersonal is a more clinical or technical term used to describe the same phenomenon in psychological contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because ansiedad is a feminine noun, you must use the feminine article la when referring to it, as in la ansiedad social.
How do you pronounce it?
/ansjeˌdad soˈθjal/
Did you know?
- The word ansiedad shares an ancient root with the English word 'anguish', both tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to choke' or 'to strangle'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, social anxiety is often discussed using the concept of pena, which can mean 'shame' or 'sorrow' depending on the region.
- While ansiedad social is the standard term, someone experiencing a sudden spike of it might say they are agobiado, a word that blends the feelings of being overwhelmed, smothered and anxious.
Examples in context
- Espero un día curar mi ansiedad social.I hope to overcome my social anxiety one day.This sentence is useful for expressing a hope to overcome your ansiedad social.Tatoeba #1515297 by marcelostockle, translation #1514197 by Objectivesea
- Durante la conferencia, María sintió una gran ansiedad social.During the conference, Maria felt significant social anxiety.
- Siento mucha ansiedad social en las fiestas.I feel a lot of social anxiety at parties.
- La ansiedad social puede ser muy difícil de manejar.Social anxiety can be very difficult to manage.
Example conversation
María and Mateo are talking about a large work event.
- María¿Vas a ir al evento de la empresa?Are you going to the company event?
- MateoNo estoy seguro, tengo un poco de ansiedad social.I'm not sure, I have a bit of social anxiety.
- MaríaTe entiendo, yo también sufro de ansiedad social.I understand you, I also suffer from social anxiety.
- MateoGracias por entender, María.Thanks for understanding, María.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “social anxiety” translations and entries ansiedad social, 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 ansiedad, social, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
