Spanish Conversation · Level 22
90 words
Spanish word
fobia
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈfoβja/
Meaning
- feminine nounphobia
Example
¿Tienes fobia a los insectos?
Do you have a phobia of insects?
More examples
Muchas personas tienen fobia a las arañas.
Many people have a phobia of spiders.
Core concept
Irrational, long-lasting fear focused on a particular thing that causes avoidance and disrupts routines.
Common phrases
tener fobia a
have a phobia of
fobia social
social phobia
sufrir de fobia
suffer from a phobia
Similar words
miedo: Immediate, natural fear in response to real or perceived danger that prompts caution.
temor: Uneasy anticipation or worry about a possible future event or outcome.
pánico: Sudden, overwhelming fear that causes loss of control and prevents normal action.
ansiedad: Excessive, persistent worry about future events or situations causing tension and restlessness.
Definition in Spanish
Miedo desproporcionado y persistente hacia algo concreto que interfiere con la vida cotidiana.
Word origin
Derived from Greek phóbos 'fear' combined with -ia to indicate a condition, originally used in medicine and later adopted into general language.
Usage tips
- 'Fobia' carries a stronger, medical tone than 'miedo', so in everyday conversation it often appears with verbs such as 'tener' or expressions like 'sufrir de' (tener fobia a, sufrir de fobia).
Opposites
- valentíacouragenoun
Related words
- fóbicophobicadjective
- claustrofobiaclaustrophobianoun
- agorafobiaagoraphobianoun