infeliz
/infeˈliθ/
The English word 'unhappy' is translated into Spanish as infeliz.
infeliz is used to describe someone who is not happy or is sad. It often refers to a person's general state of being or a long-term condition. If you want to express being unhappy with oneself, you can use infeliz con uno mismo/a. To say someone is unhappy with someone or something, use descontento/a con alguien/algo and to say someone is unhappy about something, use triste por algo. For a general sense of feeling down or being in a bad mood, the idiom Estar de capa caída is used.
Meaning: not happy, sad (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word infeliz is composed of the prefix in- (not) and feliz (happy).
Which one should you use?
While infeliz describes a general state of unhappiness, the word triste is more commonly used when referring to the temporary emotion of sadness. For a more profound level of unhappiness or to express a sense of being unfortunate, you can use the formal term desdichado/a.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective infeliz is invariant in gender, so it remains the same for both masculine and feminine subjects. To make the word plural, change it to infelices.
How do you pronounce it?
/infeˈliθ/
Did you know?
- The English word 'felon' has a distant linguistic relative in the same root family as feliz, though their meanings have diverged into crime and happiness.
- The Latin root of infeliz originally meant 'unfruitful', implying that an unhappy person was someone who could not bear fruit or produce results.
- While English speakers use 'unhappy' for almost any lack of joy, calling someone an infeliz in Spanish can sound much harsher, often acting as a way to call someone a 'wretch' or a 'scoundrel'.
Examples in context
- Yo no era infeliz.I wasn't unhappy.This sentence uses infeliz to show a past state of being.Tatoeba #4710470 by DarkHollow, translation #3329968 by CK
- Tom ha sido muy infeliz.Tom has been very unhappy.This sentence uses infeliz to describe a person's long-term condition.Tatoeba #1411151 by marcelostockle, translation #1177518 by CK
- Él vivió una vida infeliz.He lived an unhappy life.This sentence uses infeliz to describe a person's life.Tatoeba #2096481 by marcelostockle, translation #303220 by CM
- Me siento infeliz en este trabajo.I feel unhappy in this job.
- Estoy disgustado con los resultados del examen.I am unhappy with the exam results.
- Estoy triste porque cancelaron mi programa de televisión favorito.I am unhappy/sad because they canceled my favorite TV show.
- No hables con ella ahora, está de mal humor.Don't talk to her now, she is in a bad mood.
- Estoy descontento con el resultado de las elecciones.I am unhappy with the election outcome.
- Estoy triste por la situación económica actual.I am unhappy about the current economic situation.
- Me siento infeliz conmigo mismo/a por mis errores.I feel unhappy with myself because of my mistakes.
- Después de perder su empleo, está de capa caída.After losing his/her job, he/she is feeling down.
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are talking about a friend's recent breakup.
- JavierNuestro amigo se ve muy infeliz hoy.Our friend looks very unhappy today.
- ElenaSí, Elena piensa que es normal estar así.Yes, Elena thinks it is normal to be like that.
- JavierNo quiero que siga infeliz por mucho tiempo.I don't want him to stay unhappy for long.
- ElenaPronto se sentirá mejor, Javier.He will feel better soon, Javier.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “unhappy” translations and entries infeliz, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries infeliz, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
