Spanish word

pereza

Pronunciation

IPA/peˈɾeθa/

Meaning

  • feminine nounlaziness

Example

Hoy me da pereza y no quiero limpiar.

Today I feel lazy and I don't want to clean.

Illustration for pereza (laziness)

More examples

Me da pereza levantarme temprano.

I can't be bothered to get up early.

Core concept

Person procrastinating at a desk while a to-do list grows.

Common phrases

  • tener pereza

    be lazy

  • me da pereza

    not be bothered

Similar words

desidia: Required tasks are skipped because dealing with them feels annoying or unwelcome.
flojera: A sluggish, heavy feeling in body or mind lowers energy and desire to move.

Definition in Spanish

Falta de ganas para moverse o hacer algo, que se manifiesta como tendencia a posponer o evitar tareas.

Word origin

Derived from Latin pigritia and transmitted through Old Spanish forms into modern pereza, where it denotes a tendency to postpone or avoid tasks.

Usage tips

  • In everyday speech pereza frequently signals a temporary lack of motivation rather than a permanent trait, so context determines whether it describes a feeling or a character judgment.

Opposites

Related words

  • perezosolazyadjective
  • perezosamentelazilyadverb

Word lists with this word