Spanish word

apego

Pronunciation

IPA/aˈpeɣo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounattachment

Example

Tengo un fuerte apego por mi familia.

I have a strong attachment to my family.

Illustration for apego (attachment)

More examples

Ella muestra mucho apego hacia su perro.

She shows a lot of attachment to her dog.

Core concept

Clinging emotional bond.

Common phrases

  • tener apego por alguien

    have an attachment to someone

  • apego emocional

    emotional attachment

  • apego a los padres

    attachment to parents

Similar words

cariño: Tender, affectionate liking expressed as warmth or care.
afecto: Simple feeling of affection or fondness without strong intensity.
amor: Powerful, enduring love that inspires devotion or sacrifice.
vínculo: Bond or link that establishes a relationship between people or things.

Definition in Spanish

Afecto que puede tornarse dependencia; unión emocional hacia una persona u objeto que impide el desapego fácil.

Word origin

From the verb apegar (a- + pegar 'to stick'), apego uses the image of 'sticking' to describe an emotional bond that resists separation.

Usage tips

  • Apego often implies a clinging or dependent quality, while afecto or cariño are used when the feeling is simply positive affection.

Other meanings

  • affectionnoun
  • closenessnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • apegarsebecome attachedverb
  • apegadoattachedadjective

Word lists with this word