B2 · Unit 5 · 43 words, 3 texts with translation
Say how sad you are to see someone go
Talk about feelings like joy, annoyance, sadness and worry, and about close friends moving on and growing up. Learn the subjunctive after feeling words and the two meanings of siento que.
Texts in this unit
Grammar in this unit
Feelings + que + subjunctive: me alegra que, me da pena que, tengo miedo de que
You already know that me gusta que and me molesta que are followed by the subjunctive, for example me molesta que llegues tarde — it bothers me that you're late (B1, unit 24). What's new: all feeling words work the same way — joy, sadness, fear, anger, surprise.
Why it matters. A friend is moving out, the landlord isn't answering, a good friend is close by — and you want to say "I'm sorry that…", "it makes me mad that…", "I'm glad that…". After a feeling word, the next verb goes in the subjunctive, even when it's a plain fact: what matters here isn't the news but how you feel about it.
Three ways to name a feeling. Each one is followed by que + subjunctive:
| Way | Words | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a verb like gustar | me alegra, me extraña, me fastidia, me entristece | Me alegra que estés aquí. — I'm glad you're here. |
| me da + a feeling | me da pena, me da miedo, me da rabia, me da envidia | Me da pena que te vayas. — I'm sad that you're leaving. |
| a verb in the yo form | siento, lamento, me alegro de, tengo miedo de | Tengo miedo de que todo cambie. — I'm afraid everything will change. |
In the third way, don't drop the de. But siento que and lamento que have no preposition.
- Me da rabia que el dueño no conteste. — It makes me mad that the owner isn't answering.
- Me extraña que no haya nadie. — I'm surprised there's nobody here.
The same form covers now and later: me da pena que te vayas — I'm sad that you're leaving (today, or some day soon). Don't switch to the future tense.
One person or two. When the person who feels and the person who acts are the same, you don't need que: use the infinitive.
- Me alegra verte — I'm glad to see you.
- Me da miedo vivir sola — I'm scared of living alone (woman speaking).
Common mistakes. Using the normal form (indicative) because English says "I'm glad you are here": not ✗ me alegra que estás, but me alegra que estés. Using the future after "I'm afraid that": not ✗ tengo miedo de que cambiará, but tengo miedo de que cambie.
Siento que: "I feel that" or "I'm sorry that"
You've known the verb sentir — to feel — since A2, and lo siento — I'm sorry — since the very first unit. It's the same verb. English uses two different phrases here ("I feel" and "I'm sorry"), but Spanish uses one. When que follows it, siento can mean either, and only the form of the next verb tells them apart.
| After siento que | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| normal form (indicative) | I feel, I sense that… | Siento que algo cambia. — I feel that something is changing. |
| subjunctive | I'm sorry that… | Siento que todo cambie. — I'm sorry that everything is changing. |
The logic is simple. With the normal form you share news about yourself: "this is what I sense." With the subjunctive you express regret about something you both already know.
- Siento que no me escuchas. — I feel that you're not listening to me.
- Siento que no me escuches. — I'm sorry you're not listening to me.
- Siento que estás lejos. — I feel that you're far away.
- Siento que estés lejos. — I'm sorry you're far away.
How not to mix them up:
- "sorry" often comes with mucho: siento mucho que te vayas means "I'm so sorry you're leaving";
- for "I feel" you can also say tengo la sensación de que + the normal form: tengo la sensación de que algo cambia;
lamento que— always "I'm sorry", and always with the subjunctive. It's more polite and works well in writing;- when you're sorry about your own action, use the infinitive: Siento no poder ir — I'm sorry I can't go. But Siento que no puedo — I feel that I can't.
A typical mistake. You want to sympathize and say siento que te vas. A Spaniard hears: "I feel that you're leaving." For "I'm sorry you're leaving" only siento que te vayas works.
Words in this unit
alegrar — to make happy, to cheer up
Me alegra que vengas a la cena. — I'm glad you're coming to dinner.
la tristeza — sadness
Siento mucha tristeza cuando se van mis amigos. — I feel a lot of sadness when my friends leave.
la rabia — anger, frustration
Me da rabia llegar tarde al trabajo. — It makes me mad to be late for work.
la envidia — envy, jealousy
Me da envidia que te vayas de viaje. — I'm jealous that you're going on a trip.
la sensación — feeling, sensation
Tengo la sensación de que algo va mal. — I have a feeling something's wrong.
extrañar — to surprise; to miss (Latin America)
Me extraña que Lucía no llame. — I'm surprised Lucía isn't calling.
fastidiar — to annoy, to bother, to ruin
Me fastidia que llegues tarde. — It bugs me that you're late.
afectar — to affect, to upset
La noticia me afecta mucho. — The news really gets to me.
la lástima — pity, shame
¡Qué lástima que no puedas venir! — What a shame you can't come!
el alivio — relief
¡Qué alivio, ya ha terminado el examen! — What a relief, the exam is over!
el temor — fear, worry
No dijo nada por temor a perder el trabajo. — He didn't say anything for fear of losing his job.
la ansiedad — anxiety
Tengo ansiedad antes de cada examen. — I have anxiety before every exam.
la angustia — anguish, distress
Siento angustia cuando pienso en el futuro. — I feel anguish when I think about the future.
inquieto — worried, uneasy, restless
Estoy inquieta porque no llama. — I'm worried because he isn't calling (woman speaking).
inseguro — insecure, unsure; unsafe
Me siento inseguro en mi nuevo trabajo. — I feel insecure in my new job (man speaking).
apenado — sad, upset
Estoy muy apenado por la noticia. — I'm very upset about the news (man speaking).
nostálgico — nostalgic
Estoy nostálgica y miro fotos antiguas. — I'm feeling nostalgic and looking at old photos (woman speaking).
independizarse — to move out and live on your own, to become independent
Quiero independizarme el año que viene. — I want to move out on my own next year.
el/la adulto — adult, grown-up
Ya soy adulta y vivo sola. — I'm an adult now and I live alone (woman speaking).
asumir — to accept, to take on
Tienes que asumir las consecuencias. — You have to accept the consequences.
afrontar — to face, to deal with
Hay que afrontar los problemas. — You have to face problems.
apreciar — to appreciate, to value, to be fond of
Te aprecio mucho. — I'm very fond of you.
entristecer — to sadden, to make sad
Me entristece que te vayas. — It saddens me that you're leaving.
conmover — to move, to touch (emotionally)
Esa película me conmueve siempre. — That movie always moves me.
irritar — to irritate, to annoy
Me irrita que no me escuche. — It irritates me that he doesn't listen to me.
emotivo — moving, emotional
Fue un momento muy emotivo. — It was a very moving moment.
sentimental — sentimental
Soy muy sentimental con las fotos antiguas. — I'm very sentimental about old photos.
el afecto — affection, fondness
Le tengo mucho afecto a mi vecina. — I'm very fond of my neighbor.
el lazo — bond, tie; bow
Entre nosotras hay un lazo especial. — There's a special bond between us (women speaking).
íntimo — close, intimate; private
Ana es mi amiga más íntima. — Ana is my closest friend.
inevitable — inevitable, unavoidable
Los cambios son inevitables. — Changes are inevitable.
la presencia — presence
Su presencia me da seguridad. — His presence makes me feel safe.
el noviazgo — relationship (before marriage), courtship
Su noviazgo duró cuatro años. — Their relationship lasted four years.
sonrojarse — to blush
Me sonrojo cuando me hacen un cumplido. — I blush when people pay me a compliment.
la melancolía — melancholy, wistful sadness
En otoño me entra melancolía. — In the fall I start feeling melancholy.
la compasión — compassion, pity
Siento compasión por la gente sin casa. — I feel compassion for people without a home.
la sensibilidad — sensitivity
Mi hermana tiene mucha sensibilidad. — My sister is very sensitive.
hacer compañía — to keep someone company
Mi perro me hace compañía. — My dog keeps me company.
sentar mal — to disagree with (food), to upset
La cena me ha sentado mal. — Dinner didn't agree with me.
hacerse a la idea — to get used to the idea
Todavía no me hago a la idea. — I still can't get used to the idea.
dar el paso — to take the plunge, to take the big step
Por fin doy el paso y me mudo. — I'm finally taking the plunge and moving.
venirse abajo — to fall apart, to break down; to collapse
No te vengas abajo, todo va a salir bien. — Don't fall apart, everything's going to be fine.
cambiar de aires — to have a change of scenery
Necesito cambiar de aires. — I need a change of scenery.
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