Palabra Lexi · common words in Spanish
How to say "fear" in Spanish
"Fear" in Spanish is miedo, pronounced MYEH-doh (stress on the syllable in capitals). It is a masculine noun (el miedo, plural los miedos).
| Spanish | miedo |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | MYEH-doh |
| Meaning | fear |
| Gender | masculine: el miedo |
| Plural | los miedos |
| Frequency | #135 in the Palabra list of common Spanish words |
Pronunciation is spelled out in English, one syllable at a time, with the stressed syllable in capitals. The speaker button uses your browser's built-in Spanish voice. Gender and plural: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
How to pronounce miedo
Miedo is pronounced MYEH-doh, in IPA /ˈmjedo/. Miedo has two syllables, MYEH-doh, with the stress on the first. There is no written accent because the word follows the basic rule: words ending in a vowel, -n or -s are stressed on the second-to-last syllable.
Listen: normal and slow speed, in your browser's Spanish voice. IPA: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
Is miedo masculine or feminine?
Miedo is masculine, so it takes el (the) and un (a): el miedo. The plural is los miedos. That fits the usual pattern: most nouns ending in -o are masculine.
Example sentences
El miedo lo paralizó
Fear paralyzed him
Tengo miedo a los perros.
I'm afraid of dogs.
No tengas miedo.
Don't be afraid.
"Fear" in Spain and Latin America
Useful phrases
- Tengo miedo.
I'm scared (literally: I have fear). - tener miedo a los perros
to be afraid of dogs
Regional words and roots: Diccionario de la lengua española (RAE). Spanish varies by region, so treat these as the most common patterns, not strict rules.
How to remember miedo
miedo [MYEH-doh] sounds like the English “meadow”. Picture this:
A hiker freezes in a dark meadow at night, heart pounding with fear of hidden wolves.
A sound-alike plus a vivid scene is the keyword method, a well-studied way to learn vocabulary. How it works.
Practice miedo
Two quick games, right here: no sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere.