Spanish · Emotions & Descriptions
"Shy" in Spanish: tímido/a
tímido/a
Shy in Spanish is tímido or tímida. Say Soy tímido. Soy tímida. Tímido often names a lasting trait, so ser is common.
Meeting new people
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How to pronounce tímido/a
Say it
TEE-mee-doh / TEE-mee-dah
/ˈti.mi.ðo/, /ˈti.mi.ða/
TEE-mee-doh / TEE-mee-dah. Stress TEE. Soft d between vowels.
"Shy" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| tímido | shy (masc.) Personality with ser. | Personality with ser. |
| tímida | shy (fem.) Feminine form. | Feminine form. |
| un poco tímido | a little shy Softer self-description. | Softer self-description. |
| por timidez | out of shyness Related noun phrase. | Related noun phrase. |
How to use tímido/a in real life
- 1Meeting new people
Soy tímido al principio.
I’m shy at first.
Soy tímido for a trait.
- 2At a party
Mi prima es tímida con desconocidos.
My cousin is shy with strangers.
Tímida agrees with prima.
- 3School talk
Los nuevos alumnos se ven tímidos.
The new students look shy.
Tímidos is masculine plural.
Mistakes English speakers make with tímido/a
Incorrect: Ella es tímido.
Correct: Ella es tímida.
Agree gender: tímida with ella.
Incorrect: Estoy tímido siempre.
Correct: Soy tímido.
Use ser with tímido for a lasting shy nature.
Good to know
Soy tímido/a is a normal, non-rude self-label in Latin America. People soften it with un poco tímido/a. Timidez is the noun. For “reserved,” some also say reservado/a.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Arriving at a friend’s party
ChatPal
¿Estás tímido? Te presento a dos amigos.
Are you feeling shy? I’ll introduce two friends.
You
Sí, un poco tímido al entrar.
Yes, a little shy when I walk in.
ChatPal
Normal. Yo también fui tímido al principio.
Normal. I was shy at first too.
You
Gracias. Quédate cerca un momento.
Thanks. Stay close a moment.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Shy" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Shy" in Spanish
How does gender work?
Tímido (m.), tímida (f.), plurals tímidos / tímidas.
Ser or estar?
Ser is common for shy personality: Soy tímido. Estar tímido can fit a shy moment.
How do I say a little shy?
Un poco tímido. / Un poco tímida.
What is the noun?
La timidez.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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