Emotions are a huge part of daily conversation. In this lesson, you'll expand your ability to describe how you feel beyond physical health into the emotional realm. You'll learn common emotion adjectives, how to use them with 'estar,' and how to give reasons using 'porque' (because) and 'cuando' (when).
Learning tips
- All emotion adjectives in this lesson use 'estar,' not 'ser' — because emotions are temporary states.
- Remember gender agreement: 'estoy contento' (male) vs. 'estoy contenta' (female).
- 'Porque' (because) and 'por qué' (why) sound the same but are written differently — 'porque' is one word and means 'because.'
- Practice by checking in with yourself throughout the day: '¿Cómo me siento?' and answer with these new words.
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| el médico | the doctor |
| la cita | the appointment |
| examinar | to examine |
| respirar | to breathe |
| abrir | to open |
| mostrar | to show |
| desde | since |
| hace | ago/for |
| la medicina | the medicine |
| descansar | to rest |
Dialog
Valentina and Andrés chat about their feelings on a Friday. Notice how every emotion uses 'estar + adjective': 'estoy contento' (I'm happy), 'estoy preocupada' (I'm worried). They connect emotions to reasons with 'porque' (because) and timing with 'cuando' (when). The adjectives change for gender — Valentina says 'preocupada' and 'nerviosa' (feminine forms).
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| contento | /kon.ˈten.to/ | happy, content | Use with 'estar': estoy contento/a |
| triste | /ˈtɾis.te/ | sad | Same form for masculine and feminine |
| preocupado | /pɾe.o.ku.ˈpa.ðo/ | worried | Changes for gender: preocupado/preocupada |
| nervioso | /neɾ.ˈβjo.so/ | nervous | Changes for gender: nervioso/nerviosa |
| tranquilo | /tɾan.ˈki.lo/ | calm, relaxed | Changes for gender: tranquilo/tranquila |
| emocionado | /e.mo.sjo.ˈna.ðo/ | excited, thrilled | Changes for gender: emocionado/emocionada |
| aburrido | /a.βu.ˈri.ðo/ | bored | Changes for gender: aburrido/aburrida |
| sorprendido | /soɾ.pɾen.ˈdi.ðo/ | surprised | Changes for gender: sorprendido/sorprendida |
| porque | /ˈpoɾ.ke/ | because | Used to give reasons — one word, no accent |
| cuando | /ˈkwan.do/ | when | Connects a condition/time to a result |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| estresado | /es.tɾe.ˈsa.ðo/ | stressed | |
| frustrado | /fɾus.ˈtɾa.ðo/ | frustrated | |
| orgulloso | /oɾ.ɣu.ˈʝo.so/ | proud | |
| agradecido | /a.ɣɾa.ðe.ˈsi.ðo/ | grateful | |
| confundido | /kon.fun.ˈdi.ðo/ | confused | |
| ansioso | /an.ˈsjo.so/ | anxious |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| estoy contento porque | I'm happy because |
| me siento mejor cuando | I feel better when |
Grammar: 'Estar' + emotion adjective and giving reasons with 'porque'
| Pronoun | estar + emotion | porque + reason |
|---|---|---|
| yo | Estoy contento/a | porque es viernes. |
| tú | Estás triste | porque llueve. |
| usted / él / ella | Está nervioso/a | porque tiene un examen. |
| nosotros | Estamos emocionados | porque viajamos mañana. |
| ellos / ellas | Están preocupados/as | porque no tienen trabajo. |
To describe emotions, use estar + adjective:
- Estoy contento/a. (I'm happy.)
- Estás triste. (You're sad.)
- Está nervioso/a. (He/she is nervous.)
- Estamos preocupados/as. (We're worried.)
Remember: Emotion adjectives that end in -o change to -a for feminine speakers. 'Triste' stays the same for both genders.
Giving reasons with 'porque':
- Estoy contento porque es viernes. (I'm happy because it's Friday.)
- Está triste porque llueve. (She's sad because it's raining.)
Connecting with 'cuando' (when):
- Me siento mejor cuando descanso. (I feel better when I rest.)
- Estoy nervioso cuando tengo un examen. (I'm nervous when I have an exam.)
You can combine both: Estoy tranquilo cuando descanso porque no tengo estrés.
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the correct emotion adjective.
- Estoy muy porque es mi cumpleaños. (happy)(feeling joy)
- Valentina está por el examen. (worried)(feeling concern — feminine form)
- Me siento cuando no tengo planes. (bored)(not interested, nothing to do)
- Andrés está porque tiene buenas noticias. (excited)(feeling enthusiasm)
- Estoy porque el resultado es bueno. (surprised)(feeling unexpected amazement)
Grammar Application
Complete each sentence with the correct emotion adjective and connector (porque/cuando).
- I am happy because it's Friday → Estoy es viernes.(happy + because)
- She is sad because she is sick → Está está enferma.(sad + because)
- We are nervous when we have an exam → Estamos tenemos un examen.(nervous + when)
- He is calm when he rests → Está descansa.(calm + when)
- They are worried because of the news → Están las noticias.(worried + because of)
Translation (English → Spanish)
Translate each sentence into Spanish.
- I'm happy because it's Friday.
- She is sad and worried.
- Are you nervous about the exam?
- We're excited because we're traveling tomorrow.
- I'm not bored when I read a book.
Creative Construction
Describe your emotions in different situations. Use 'estar + emotion' with 'porque' and 'cuando' to explain why or when you feel that way.
Takeaway
Use 'estar + emotion adjective' for feelings: estoy contento (happy), triste (sad), preocupado (worried), nervioso (nervous). Connect reasons with 'porque' (because) and timing with 'cuando' (when).