When learning English, you might notice some words that don’t translate into Spanish. These words can be tricky, but once you understand them, they’ll make your English sound more natural. Let’s look at some of the most interesting ones!
1. Awkward
There is no exact word in Spanish for awkward! It means something is uncomfortable, embarrassing, or socially difficult. You can translate it depending on the situation:
- Incómodo (if something feels weird)
- Torpe (if someone is clumsy)
- Vergonzoso (if something is embarrassing)
✅ That silence after my joke was so awkward.
(Ese silencio después de mi chiste fue muy incómodo.)
2. Cringe
This is a popular word in English, especially on social media! It means that something is so embarrassing that it makes you uncomfortable. In Spanish, you might say:
- Dar vergüenza ajena
- Ser muy ridículo
✅ His speech was so bad, I cringed.
(Su discurso fue tan malo que me dio vergüenza ajena.)
3. Hype
This word describes excitement and anticipation for something. It’s often used for movies, music, or events. In Spanish, you might say expectativa, entusiasmo, or emoción.
✅ There is a lot of hype about the new Marvel movie.
(Hay mucha expectativa sobre la nueva película de Marvel.)
4. Overwhelmed
If you feel overwhelmed, it means you have too much to do or too many emotions at the same time. In Spanish, you could say:
- Agobiado/a (for stress)
- Abrumado/a (for emotions)
✅ I feel overwhelmed with work.
(Me siento agobiado con el trabajo.)
5. Relatable
If something is relatable, it means you can identify with it or it feels familiar. Spanish doesn’t have one perfect word for this, but you could say me identifico con eso or es algo con lo que me puedo relacionar.
✅ That meme is so relatable!
(¡Ese meme me representa totalmente!)
6. Ghosting
This is a modern slang term! It means when someone suddenly stops talking to you and disappears without an explanation.
✅ He stopped replying to my messages. I think he’s ghosting me.
(Dejó de contestar mis mensajes. Creo que me está ignorando.)
Learn These Words in Context!
The best way to remember these words is by reading, watching movies, and listening to native speakers. Have you ever struggled with an English word that doesn’t translate into Spanish?
Written by Aimee Wilkinson, Principal at The Harrogate International Academy
