14 Ways to Say ‘Sad’ in Spanish

When Spanish speakers ask, ¿Cómo estás? (How are you?), it’s common to say Bien, gracias. Another typical answer might be mal, which means not well in English. 

But what if you want to express your genuine emotions and let someone know you’re experiencing sadness or something even deeper? Today, we’ll explore common ways to convey sadness in Spanish, including some colloquial expressions. Each term reflects a different nuance of sadness, helping you select the most fitting one for the situation.

Triste

The most common way to express sadness in Spanish is with the word triste. It’s the direct translation of sad and is frequently used in everyday conversations. The term conveys a general feeling of unhappiness, sorrow, or simply feeling a bit down.

• Ella se siente triste porque perdió su anillo. = She feels sad because she lost her ring.
• Mi hermana está triste porque la despidieron del trabajo. = My sister is sad because she was fired from work.

Important!

To express the different emotions in this post, you need to use the verb estar (to be). For first person, in English, we say I am and in Spanish, we say Estoy. I am sad becomes Estoy triste.

Because the adjective triste ends with -e, you don’t need to apply gender. But in the case of the adjectives further down, you will use the adjective ending -a to describe a female and -o for males. For example: Ella está deprimida is She is depressed and El está deprimido is He is depressed.

Deprimido / Deprimida

Deprimido/a translates to depressed in English, and it signifies a deeper, more intense level of sadness. This word is reserved for more serious emotional states and isn’t used casually. It’s appropriate in situations where someone feels a profound sense of hopelessness and is trapped in a negative mindset.

Sometimes, the term deprimido/a is shortened to depre in casual Spanish conversation. Saying Estoy depre carries a lighter tone and usually suggests that the person is feeling down or sad, rather than clinically depressed. However, because clinical depression is a serious condition, it’s important to use this term thoughtfully to avoid being insensitive.

• Después de la ruptura, se sintió deprimido y no tenía ganas de hacer nada. = After the break-up, she felt depressed and didn’t feel like doing anything.”

Desconsolado / Desconsolada

Desconsolado/a conveys a sense of being inconsolable or utterly overwhelmed by grief. In English, the closest equivalent is heartbroken. This term carries deep emotional weight and is typically used in moments of profound loss or pain. It describes a feeling where nothing seems to bring comfort. For example, saying Me siento desconsolada (I feel inconsolable) expresses a sense of loneliness and a pain that cannot be soothed.

• La madre estaba desconsolado tras la pérdida de su hijo. = The mother was heartbroken after the loss of her son
• Me sentí desconsolada cuando lo perdí todo después de que mi casa se incendiara. = I felt heartbroken when I lost everything after my house burned down.

Melancólico / Melancólica

Melancólico, meaning melancholic in English, conveys a reflective blend of nostalgia and sadness. It captures an emotion that isn’t necessarily dark, but often rooted in longing for something from the past. Sometimes, it also serves as a contemplation of life and the fleeting nature of time.

It can be used to describe both sad and happy memories from the past, such as reflecting on a grandparent, a place you once lived, a particular song, a familiar scent, or anything that stirs a memory or awakens your senses.

• Mientras caminaba por el barrio, no pude evitar sentirme melancolía al recordar mi infancia. = As I walked through the neighborhood, I couldn’t help but feel melancholy as I remembered my childhood.

Afligido / Afligida

The word afligido (afflicted) comes from the Spanish noun aflicto, which means affliction in English. Experiencing this emotion suggests a deep level of distress or trouble. It’s typically used in more serious situations, such as when facing a major problem or illness. This feeling conveys a sense of anxiety and concern about the future or a difficult decision, often resulting in sadness.

• La noticia de su enfermedad la dejó afligida por muchos días. = The news of her illness left her afflicted for many days.
• La comunidad se mostró afligida tras el devastador tornado que destruyó varias casas. = The community was distraught after the devastating tornado that destroyed several homes.

Desanimado / Desanimada

If you’re feeling discouraged or unmotivated, the Spanish word desanimado captures this emotion. It conveys a sense of losing motivation or enthusiasm, often used when someone feels they’ve hit a setback or aren’t seeing progress in a particular situation. This word also reflects a loss of interest and energy in pursuing goals, highlighting a diminished drive to move forward.

• A pesar de sus esfuerzos comiendo saludable y haciendo ejercicio, se sentía desanimado por no ver resultados. = Despite his efforts to eat healthily and exercise, he felt discouraged about not seeing results.

Derrotado / Derrotada

The term derrotado/a refers to someone who feels defeated or beaten down. It carries a heavy emotional weight and is often used in moments of deep despair, when a situation feels so overwhelming that it seems impossible to continue. This word captures the feeling of being overwhelmed by challenges and failures, leading to profound sadness, even if it’s temporary. It can be used both literally, in moments of actual defeat, or metaphorically, when someone feels emotionally or mentally worn out.

• Después de perder el partido, mi equipo se sintió completamente derrotado. = After losing the match, my team felt completely defeated.
• Me siento derrotada porque todo me está yendo mal. = I feel defeated because everything is going wrong for me.

Bajoneado / Bajoneada

Bajoneado is a colloquial, informal way to express feeling down or slightly depressed. It conveys a sense of being out of sorts, off balance, or just having an off day. This term is often used for situational or temporary low spirits, typically triggered by a specific problem or simply feeling unwell on a given day. It’s not as intense as depression but more of a fleeting emotional slump.

The term is typically used to describe a temporary feeling of being down, knowing that the emotion will pass soon. For instance, you might use it after your team loses a game, when you’re feeling under the weather and lack motivation, if you receive a poor grade, if you don’t get a callback from a job interview, or when facing financial difficulties. It reflects a transient state of low spirits rather than a deep or enduring sadness.

It can be expressed in various ways, such as Estoy bajo/a (I’m feeling down), Estoy de bajón (I’m in a down state), or Estoy bajoneado/a (I’m down).

• Últimamente he estado bajoneado por problemas en el trabajo. = Lately I’ve been down because of problems at work.

Decaído / Decaída

The term decaído/a conveys a sense of feeling downcast or depressed. It indicates a decline in emotional well-being, often associated with sadness, low energy, or feeling emotionally and physically drained. If you’re experiencing a significant dip in your mood or overall spirit, or if you’re feeling particularly low and overwhelmed, decaído/a is an appropriate word to express these emotions.

• He estado decaída y sin querer hacer nada desde que perdí a mi perro. = I have been feeling down and not wanting to do anything since I lost my dog.
• Mi hermano está decaído porque lleva varios meses sin poder trabajar. = My brother is down because he hasn’t been able to work for several months.

Sin ganas / desganado / desganada

The phrase sin ganas translates to “without desire” or “without motivation” in English. Similarly, the adjective desganado/a describes a lack of enthusiasm or energy. It conveys a sense of disinterest or low mood, indicating that someone feels unmotivated and is not in the mood to engage in activities or participate in tasks.

The expression Estoy sin ganas de hacer nada (I don’t feel like doing anything) is used not only when you’re feeling sad but also on days when you’re simply feeling lazy or off. It can indicate a lack of energy and motivation, often due to feeling emotionally out of sorts or down. This phrase captures both a temporary lack of enthusiasm and a more general sense of feeling unmotivated or lethargic.

• Estoy sin ganas de salir porque mi novio está enojado conmigo. = I’m not in the mood to go out because my boyfriend is mad at me.

Hundido / Hundida

Hundido/a is another colloquial and informal term used to describe feeling sad. It translates to “sunk” or “overwhelmed,” and conveys a sense of being deeply immersed or submerged in sadness, despair, or negative emotions. This term reflects a profound emotional state where one feels engulfed by their feelings.

• Se sintió hundido después de perder su casa, su dinero y su auto. = He felt overwhelmed after losing his house, his money and his car.
• Me siento hundido con todos mis problemas financieros. = I feel overwhelmed by all my financial problems.

Devastado / Devastada

The Spanish word devastado/a translates to devastated in English. It conveys an intense level of emotional or physical destruction, reflecting profound sadness or disappointment. This term describes a state of extreme emotional anguish or shock, often related to significant loss or despair. It is used to express a feeling of being completely broken or crushed by an overwhelming experience.

• Se sintió completamente devastado después de enterarse de que el terremoto destruyó su ciudad. = He felt completely devastated after learning that the earthquake destroyed his city.

Apenado / Apenada

The word apenado/a conveys a sense of regret, sorrow, or embarrassment, rather than just sadness. It is closely related to feeling sorry for letting someone down or causing inconvenience. This term is often used when someone feels troubled about a situation that involves disappointment or a negative impact on others.

• Me siento apenado por no haber podido asistir a tu boda. = I feel sorry for not being able to attend your wedding.
• Mi hermana se sintió apenada por no haber llegado a tiempo a mi cumpleaños. = My sister felt sorry for not being on time for my birthday.

Lamentoso / Lamentosa

The term lamentoso/a is used to describe a feeling of sadness, mourning, or sorrow, particularly in the context of lamenting a loss. It conveys a deeper, more expressive form of sadness and is often associated with grieving or missing something or someone.

You can also use the verb lamento, which means to lament or wail. This term is often employed when discussing someone’s death or expressing sorrow for a profound situation, such as a serious illness.

• Lamento mucho la perdida de su hermano. = I am very sorry for the loss of your brother.
• Su tono de voz lamentoso refleja el dolor que siente porque su madre tiene cáncer. = His lamenting tone of voice reflects the pain he feels because his mother has cancer.