Spanish word

malestar

Pronunciation

IPA/malesˈtaɾ/

Meaning

  • masculine noundiscomfort

Example

Siento malestar después de comer.

I feel discomfort after eating.

Illustration for malestar (discomfort)

More examples

Después de la vacuna tuve malestar leve.

After the vaccination I had mild discomfort.

Core concept

Low-level, hard-to-localize malaise of body or mind.

Common phrases

  • sentir malestar

    feel discomfort

  • malestar estomacal

    stomach discomfort

  • síntomas de malestar

    symptoms of discomfort

Similar words

incomodidad: Mild, brief sense of physical or mental discomfort.
molestia: Slight discomfort felt in a specific body part.
dolor: Clear, localized bodily pain.
náusea: Queasy, sick-to-the-stomach feeling with an urge to vomit.

Definition in Spanish

Sensación de incomodidad física o emocional, a menudo vaga y sin que exista una enfermedad diagnosticada.

Word origin

Formed from Spanish mal 'bad' and estar 'to be', tracing back to Latin malus and stare, the compound denotes a state of ill feeling rather than a diagnosed disease.

Usage tips

  • The noun is usually uncountable in Spanish, so it commonly appears without an indefinite article when referring to non-specific discomfort.

Other meanings

  • indispositionnoun
  • sicknessnoun
  • uneasenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word