To describe what a person is like, adjectives are used that speak about how they treat others, their attitude and their way of acting. Amable describes someone who treats others well. Generoso is someone who readily shares time, money or help. Paciente is the person who waits without getting angry. Responsable fulfills what they promise and takes care of their tasks. Trabajador does their work or obligations with effort and consistency. In phrases like My sister is amable or Juan is very responsable, the adjective presents a stable trait of the person. These traits often appear together with description verbs like ser, which are already covered in Introduction to basic grammar.

generososimpáticoamigabletrabajadorhonestorespetuosoeducadoamableresponsablepaciente

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Describe a una persona que dice la verdad y actúa con sinceridadSignifica que una persona usa buenas maneras en sus relacionesDescribe a alguien que cae bien y resulta agradableSe usa para alguien que trata bien a los demás y acepta sus opinionesDescribe a quien cumple sus obligaciones y se toma en serio sus tareasDice que una persona sabe esperar con calma sin enfadarseDescribe a una persona que trata a los demás con cortesía y cariñoSe usa para alguien que comparte con facilidad y piensa en los demásSe usa para alguien que se esfuerza mucho en su trabajo o estudioSe usa para quien muestra cercanía y facilita el trato con otras personas

Basic vocabulary of personal traits

Word	Definition
amable	Describes a person who treats others with courtesy and affection.
generoso	Used for someone who shares easily and thinks about others.
paciente	Says that a person knows how to wait calmly without getting angry.
responsable	Describes someone who fulfills their obligations and takes their tasks seriously.
trabajador	Used for someone who works very hard at their job or studies.
honesto	Describes a person who tells the truth and acts sincerely.
respetuoso	Used for someone who treats others well and accepts their opinions.
educado	Means that a person uses good manners in their relationships.
simpático	Describes someone who is well-liked and pleasant.
amigable	Used for someone who shows warmth and makes interaction with other people easy.

Scramble

There are also adjectives for talking about undesirable qualities. Egoísta describes someone who thinks of themselves first. Impaciente is the person who does not know how to wait. Mentiroso refers to someone who does not tell the truth. Perezoso is used for someone who avoids working or making an effort. Orgulloso can describe someone who believes they are superior to others or who does not readily accept help. In a phrase like He is mentiroso or They are very perezosos, the adjective names a personality trait. These uses are better understood together with the vocabulary in Basic verb tenses for descriptions, where frequent forms for talking about people and situations appear.

gruñóndesordenadoperezosocruelmentirosoarroganteegoístaimpacienteorgullosodespistado

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Se usa para una persona que hace poco esfuerzo y evita trabajarDescribe a quien no dice la verdad con frecuenciaDescribe a una persona que piensa solo en sí mismaSe usa para alguien que se queja mucho y tiene mal humorDescribe a una persona que habla con superioridad ante los demásSe usa para alguien que no mantiene el orden en sus cosasDescribe a quien se distrae con facilidad y olvida cosasDescribe a una persona que hace daño sin empatíaPuede describir a alguien que se cree superior y no acepta críticasSe usa para alguien que no sabe esperar con tranquilidad

Vocabulary of undesirable traits

Word	Definition
egoísta	Describes a person who thinks only of themselves.
impaciente	Used for someone who does not know how to wait calmly.
mentiroso	Describes someone who frequently does not tell the truth.
perezoso	Used for a person who makes little effort and avoids working.
orgulloso	Can describe someone who thinks they are superior and does not accept criticism.
arrogante	Describes a person who speaks condescendingly to others.
gruñón	Used for someone who complains a lot and is in a bad mood.
despistado	Describes someone who gets distracted easily and forgets things.
desordenado	Used for someone who does not keep things orderly.
cruel	Describes a person who causes harm without empathy.

Scramble

Some words describe how someone relates to other people. Sociable is someone who seeks company and speaks easily. Tímido applies to someone who feels shy or reserved when meeting people. Extrovertido names a person who is open, expressive and very comfortable in a group. Reservado describes someone who does not tell much about themselves. Hablador is someone who talks a lot. For a person's character and pace, tranquilo indicates calm, nervioso signals uneasiness, serio expresses a formal or unsmiling attitude, divertido describes someone funny or pleasant to be around, sensible indicates that they feel things intensely and optimista is used for someone who expects good results. These words are useful for portraying someone naturally, as in He is reservado but very divertido or I am a tranquila person.

serioextrovertidotranquilooptimistanerviosodivertidoreservadohabladorsensiblesociabletímido

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Describe a una persona que habla mucho y con gustoSe usa para alguien que siente las cosas con intensidadDescribe a una persona que expresa su energía con facilidad y busca compañíaSe usa para alguien que le cuesta hablar con desconocidosSe usa para alguien que habla poco sobre su vida personalSe usa para alguien que mantiene la calma con facilidadDescribe a una persona que hace reír o hace pasar un buen ratoSe usa para alguien que se comporta con formalidad o muestra poca sonrisaDescribe a una persona que siente tensión o inquietudDescribe a una persona que espera que las cosas salgan bienDescribe a una persona que disfruta estando con otras

Vocabulary of character and social relationships

Word	Definition
sociable	Describes a person who enjoys being with others.
tímido	Used for someone who finds it difficult to talk to strangers.
extrovertido	Describes a person who expresses their energy easily and seeks company.
reservado	Used for someone who talks little about their personal life.
hablador	Describes a person who talks a lot and enjoys it.
tranquilo	Used for someone who stays calm easily.
nervioso	Describes a person who feels tension or uneasiness.
serio	Used for someone who behaves formally or smiles little.
divertido	Describes a person who makes people laugh or makes for a good time.
sensible	Used for someone who feels things intensely.
optimista	Describes a person who expects things to turn out well.

Scramble

Positive emotions often appear in very common words. Alegría is the feeling of being happy about something good. Entusiasmo shows energy and strong interest in an idea, a plan or an activity. Ilusión is used when something desired or anticipated produces excitement, such as a trip, a party or a project. Tranquilidad is the feeling of calm and absence of tension. Orgullo expresses satisfaction about one's own achievement or that of someone close. In conversation, these words appear in phrases like I feel mucha alegría, I have ilusión about the trip or It makes me proud of his effort. The vocabulary in Vocabulary of emotions and feelings expands these ideas with more closely related nuances.

satisfacciónesperanzafelicidadorgullotranquilidadilusióngratitudentusiasmoalegríacalma

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Es un sentimiento de aprecio por la ayuda o el detalleEs la emoción de creer que algo bueno puede pasarEs una sensación de estar contento con un resultadoEs una emoción de mucho interés y energía por algoEs una emoción de satisfacción por un logroEs un estado de relajación sin nerviosEs un estado de bienestar y contentoEs una emoción de expectativa bonita ante algo deseadoEs un estado de calma y ausencia de tensiónEs un sentimiento de felicidad y placer

Vocabulary of positive emotions

Word	Definition
alegría	It is a feeling of happiness and pleasure.
entusiasmo	It is an emotion of great interest and energy for something.
ilusión	It is an emotion of pleasant anticipation about something desired.
tranquilidad	It is a state of calm and absence of tension.
orgullo	It is an emotion of satisfaction from an achievement.
felicidad	It is a state of well-being and contentment.
satisfacción	It is a feeling of being pleased with a result.
esperanza	It is the emotion of believing that something good may happen.
gratitud	It is a feeling of appreciation for help or a thoughtful gesture.
calma	It is a state of relaxation without nervousness.

Scramble

To talk about uncomfortable or intense states, Spanish uses very common words. Tristeza names the feeling of loss or discouragement. Miedo appears when something seems dangerous or unsettling. Enfado expresses anger or annoyance. Vergüenza is felt when a situation makes a person feel exposed or uncomfortable. Preocupación indicates constant attention to a problem or a possible bad outcome. Frustración describes the annoyance that arises when something does not turn out as expected. These emotions are used in phrases like He is afraid, He feels vergüenza or The frustration is great. In everyday contexts, they are also combined with expressions of the type to be + adjective, especially with temporary states.

culpavergüenzaenfadofrustracióntristezaansiedaddecepciónpreocupaciónsoledadmiedo

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Es un estado de inquietud por un problemaEs la sensación de incomodidad por una situaciónEs el sentimiento de creer que has hecho algo malEs una reacción de molestia o iraEs la sensación de estar sin compañíaEs el sentimiento de no cumplir una expectativaEs un sentimiento de dolor emocional o desánimoEs la emoción de sentir peligro o temorEs la emoción de sentir que algo no sale como quieresEs una sensación de nervios intensos y anticipación

Vocabulary of uncomfortable emotions

Word	Definition
tristeza	It is a feeling of emotional pain or discouragement.
miedo	It is the emotion of feeling danger or apprehension.
enfado	It is a reaction of annoyance or rage.
vergüenza	It is the feeling of discomfort because of a situation.
preocupación	It is a state of uneasiness about a problem.
frustración	It is the emotion of feeling that something is not going as you want.
ansiedad	It is a feeling of intense nervousness and anticipation.
decepción	It is the feeling of not meeting an expectation.
soledad	It is the feeling of being without company.
culpa	It is the feeling of believing that you have done something wrong.

Scramble

With emotions and moods, ser and estar do not work in the same way. Ser presents personality traits that are seen as a habitual part of the person: He is paciente, He is sensible, He is optimista. Estar expresses a temporary state: He is happy, He is sad, He is nervous, He is tired, He is angry. The difference appears clearly when the same word changes meaning depending on the verb. He is tranquilo describes character; he is tranquilo describes how he feels at that moment. In Spanish, this combination is basic for speaking precisely, and it is related to what is covered in Introduction to basic grammar and Basic verb tenses for descriptions.

Use of ser and estar with emotional states

Usage	Explanation
Permanent trait	Use ser to describe a stable personality characteristic.
Temporary state	Use estar to talk about a passing emotion or the current moment.
Emotion at the moment	Use estar to say how someone feels right now.
Change of situation	Use estar for an emotion that can change according to the situation.
Description of character	Use ser when the idea is part of someone's usual way of being.
Physical and emotional state	Use estar to combine tiredness and emotion at a specific moment.

With emotions and needs, tener forms very natural expressions. One says to have miedo, to have vergüenza, to have ganas, to have paciencia and to have confianza. Here ganas expresses desire or intention: I feel like sleeping or I feel like going out. Confianza indicates confidence in a person, in a situation or in oneself. There are also verbs that show changes of state. Ponerse nervioso indicates that nervousness appears suddenly. Sentirse triste presents an emotion through personal experience. Alegrarse expresses the transition to a state of joy. Calmarse shows the recovery of calm. These forms are very useful in real situations, from an argument to good news, and they frequently appear in conversations about habits and reactions in Conversations about likes and habits.

Use of tener and changes of state

Usage	Explanation
Fear	Use tener miedo to express fear of something specific or general.
Embarrassment	Use tener vergüenza to talk about social or personal discomfort.
Desire	Use tener ganas to express desire or motivation to do something.
Patience	Use tener paciencia to say that someone knows how to wait calmly.
Confidence	Use tener confianza to express confidence in a person or in oneself.
To become nervous	Use ponerse to express a quick change toward an emotional state.
To feel sad	Use sentirse to describe an inner emotional state perceived at the moment.
To be happy	Use alegrarse to show that something produces happiness or satisfaction.
To calm down	Use calmarse to indicate that a strong emotion decreases in intensity.
To get angry	Use enfadarse to express that someone begins to feel anger.

The most useful questions for talking about personality and mood are What are you like? and How do you feel?. The first asks for a general description of the person and is usually answered with traits such as I am amable, I am tímido or I am tranquilo. The second asks about the current state and is answered with I feel...: I feel happy, I feel tired, I feel nervous. In daily conversation, the answer can be brief: Good, So-so, Bad, or more complete: I feel calm today or I feel a little worried. These answers make it possible to move from the fixed description of the person to their emotional state at that moment, and prepare the way for talking about people in more detail in Describing people in different contexts.