desmayo
/desˈmaʝo/
The Spanish word for "swooning" is desmayo.
desmayo refers to the act of fainting or losing consciousness.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun desmayo (fainting or a swoon) is derived from the reflexive verb desmayarse (to faint). Additionally, desmayo can function as the first-person singular present indicative of the verb desmayar, meaning "I faint" or "I am fainting".
How do you pronounce it?
/desˈmaʝo/
Did you know?
- In certain Spanish dialects, a 'swoon' caused by a sudden fright is specifically called a patatús, a playful word that refers to a sudden fit or fainting spell.
- In Spanish, desmayo is often used figuratively to describe a sudden drop or slump in something, such as a 'desmayo de las ventas' when sales plummet.
- In literary contexts, a desmayo can refer to a 'faltering' or 'failure' in a rhythm or a musical cadence.
Examples in context
- Estoy colado por esa chica desde que la conocí.I've been head over heels for that girl since I met her.
- Él babearía por ti si supiera lo increíble que eres.He'd be swooning over you if he knew how amazing you are.
- Estoy enloquecido por ella, no puedo dejar de pensar en su sonrisa.I'm crazy about her, I can't stop thinking about her smile.
- Sufrió un desmayo debido al calor.He suffered a fainting spell due to the heat.
- Tuve un desmayo por el calor.I had a fainting spell because of the heat.
- El desmayo de la mujer asustó a todos.The woman's fainting frightened everyone.
- Él sufrió un desmayo en medio de la clase.He suffered a fainting spell in the middle of class.
Example conversation
Elena is checking on Alejandro after he felt unwell in the park.
- Elena¿Estás bien después de ese desmayo?Are you okay after that fainting spell?
- AlejandroSí, Elena, solo fue un momento de debilidad.Yes, Elena, it was just a moment of weakness.
- ElenaDebes sentarte y beber un poco de agua.You should sit down and drink some water.
- AlejandroGracias, me siento un poco mejor ahora.Thanks, I feel a little better now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry desmayo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
