preocupado
/pɾeokuˈpado/
The English word "worried" can be translated into Spanish as preocupado. Wiktionary also lists inquieto.
Meaning: thinking about unpleasant things that have happened or that might happen (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| preocupado | /pɾeokuˈpado/ |
| inquieto | /inˈkjeto/ |
preocupado is used to describe a person who is thinking about unpleasant things that have happened or that might happen. When you want to say you are worried about something, use the preposition por instead of sobre.
Which one should you use?
While preocupado implies a mental worry regarding a specific problem, inquieto is used to describe a state of restlessness, fidgetiness or mild anxiety.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use preocupada for a female, and use preocupados for a group of males or a mixed group. The adjective must also agree in number with the people who are worried.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɾeokuˈpado/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When expressing the object of your worry, do not use sobre. Use por instead.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, if someone is preocupado, a friend might tell them no te comas el coco, which literally means 'do not eat your coconut'.
- Depending on the region, a person who is extremely preocupado might be described as rayado, which literally means 'scratched' or 'lined' like a vinyl record.
- The word inquieto comes from the Latin inquietus, which combines the prefix in- meaning 'not' and quietus meaning 'quiet' or 'at rest'.
Examples in context
- Ya no estoy preocupado.I'm no longer worried.This sentence is useful for expressing that a state of being preocupado has ended.Tatoeba #7864783 by Seael, translation #7538483 by CK
- Tom no está preocupado.Tom isn't worried.This sentence is useful for stating that someone else is not preocupado.Tatoeba #9703920 by Shishir, translation #2237033 by CK
- Estoy preocupado por ti.I'm worried about you.This sentence is useful for saying you are preocupado regarding someone else.Tatoeba #540438 by Shishir, translation #706994 by papabear
- Estoy preocupado por mi examen de mañana.I am worried about my exam tomorrow.
- Me siento inquieta por los problemas en el trabajo.I feel worried and restless about the problems at work.
- El aumento de la delincuencia me tiene muy intranquilo.The increase in crime has me very worried and anxious.
- 124 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are talking about a missed phone call.
- Alejandro¿Por qué estás preocupado, Alejandro?Why are you worried, Alejandro?
- SofíaMi hermano no me llamó hoy.My brother didn't call me today.
- AlejandroNo estés preocupado, seguro está ocupado.Don't be worried, he is probably busy.
- SofíaTienes razón, Sofía. Gracias.You are right, Sofía. Thanks.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “worried” translations and entries preocupado, inquieto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries inquieto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
