quejarse
/keˈxaɾse/
The English phrase "whining" is translated into Spanish as quejarse.
Quejarse is used to describe the act of complaining in an annoying or childish way. While it can refer to a general complaint, in many contexts it is the standard way to express the act of whining or bellyaching. If you want to refer to the person who is doing the whining, use the noun quejica.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Latin America, the verb lloriquear is used to describe whining. In Spain, the phrase estar siempre quejándose is used to mean "always complaining".
How does it change in a sentence?
Quejarse is a reflexive verb, which means it must be used with reflexive pronouns such as me, te, se, nos or os. For example, the third-person singular conjugation is se queja (he/she whines).
How do you pronounce it?
/keˈxaɾse/
Did you know?
- The word quejarse is a doublet of the Spanish word cascar, meaning to break or crack, because both evolved from the same Latin root describing a shaking or jarring motion.
- In Latin America, the word lloriquear blends the idea of whining with the verb for crying, llorar, implying a soft or persistent sobbing sound accompanying the complaint.
- In Spanish, the act of whining is expressed as a reflexive action, meaning the speaker literally 'complains themselves', which reflects how the emotion is viewed as an internal state being projected.
Examples in context
- Tom comenzó a quejarse.Tom started whining.This sentence shows how to use quejarse to describe someone starting to whine.Tatoeba #5155278 by albrusgher, translation #2238720 by CK
- Todo el mundo necesita dejar de quejarse.Everyone needs to quit whining.This sentence demonstrates the use of quejarse when advising someone to stop whining.Tatoeba #5155289 by albrusgher, translation #5132662 by CK
- El niño lanzaba quejidos cada vez que no conseguía lo que quería.The child would let out whines every time he didn't get what he wanted.
- El gemido del perro interrumpía la tranquilidad de la noche.The dog's whining interrupted the calm of the night.
- ¡Deja de quejarte!Stop whining!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry quejarse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries quejarse, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
