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A2 verb #2,500 am häufigsten 9 Min. Lesezeit

entristecer

At the A1 level, you should focus on the most basic meaning of 'entristecer': to make someone sad. Think of it as the opposite of 'alegrar' (to make happy). At this stage, you might only see it in simple sentences like 'A chuva me entristece' (The rain makes me sad). You don't need to worry about complex conjugations yet; just recognize that it comes from the word 'triste'. It is a useful word to express why you are feeling a certain way. You can use it to talk about simple things like the weather, a broken toy, or saying goodbye. Remember: 'entristecer' = 'fazer ficar triste'.
At the A2 level, you begin to use 'entristecer' more actively, especially in the past tense (Pretérito Perfeito). You should also start learning the reflexive form 'entristecer-se' (to become sad). This is the level where you distinguish between 'Eu estou triste' (I am sad - a state) and 'Eu me entristeci' (I became sad - an action). You will use it to talk about personal experiences, such as 'Eu me entristeci com o fim do livro' (I became sad with the end of the book). You should also be able to use it with simple objects: 'A notícia entristeceu a família'.
By B1, you should be comfortable using 'entristecer' in various tenses, including the Imperfeito and the Future. You will start using it to describe more abstract causes of sadness, like social issues or long-term situations. You should also be able to use the Subjunctive mood: 'Não quero que você se entristeça' (I don't want you to get sad). At this level, you are moving beyond simple cause-and-effect and using the verb to show empathy and nuance in your conversations. You understand that 'entristecer' is slightly more formal and descriptive than 'ficar triste'.
At the B2 level, you use 'entristecer' with a high degree of precision. You can use it in formal writing, such as essays or reports, to describe the impact of events on a population or a character. You understand the difference between 'entristecer' and its synonyms like 'magoar' or 'amargurar'. You can use complex sentence structures: 'O que mais me entristece nesta situação é a falta de diálogo entre as partes.' You also recognize the verb in literary texts and news broadcasts, understanding the specific emotional weight it carries in those contexts.
At the C1 level, 'entristecer' becomes a tool for stylistic expression. You use it to create specific moods in your writing and speaking. You are aware of its poetic potential and its role in the 'Saudade' aesthetic of Portuguese culture. You can use the verb in its most formal and archaic forms if necessary, and you understand its use in philosophical discussions about the nature of emotion. You can also use the past participle 'entristecido' as a sophisticated adjective to describe a person's demeanor or the atmosphere of a place with subtle nuance.
At the C2 level, you have a native-like command of 'entristecer'. You understand its etymological roots and how it functions within the broader system of Portuguese verbal morphology. You can use it effortlessly in any register, from highly academic discourse to the most delicate interpersonal communication. You appreciate the subtle difference between 'entristecer' and other inchoative verbs and can use it to discuss complex psychological states. For you, the word is not just a vocabulary item, but a versatile instrument for exploring the human condition in the Portuguese language.
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entristecer in 30 Sekunden

  • Entristecer means to make someone sad or to become sad (reflexive).
  • It is a regular -er verb derived from the adjective 'triste'.
  • Commonly used in both formal writing and empathetic daily speech.
  • Often used with prepositions 'com' or 'por' in its reflexive form.

The Portuguese verb entristecer is a multifaceted emotional catalyst that describes the process of making someone sad or the act of becoming sad oneself. At its core, it is a derivative of the adjective triste (sad), combined with the prefix en- and the suffix -ecer, which often denotes a transition or a change of state in Portuguese linguistics. When you use entristecer, you are not just describing a static state of sadness; you are describing the movement into that state, whether caused by an external event, a piece of news, or an internal realization. It is a powerful word because it captures the dynamic nature of human emotion, shifting from a state of neutrality or joy into the shadow of sorrow.

Transitive Usage
In this form, the verb requires an object. You are making someone else sad. For example, 'A notícia entristeceu o povo' (The news saddened the people).
Reflexive Usage
When used as entristecer-se, the subject is the one experiencing the sadness. 'Ela entristeceu-se ao ver a casa vazia' (She became sad upon seeing the empty house).
Intransitive Usage
Less common but poetic, it can describe an environment or a day becoming gloomy. 'O dia entristeceu com a chegada das nuvens' (The day grew sad with the arrival of the clouds).

"Nada me entristece mais do que ver um talento desperdiçado por falta de oportunidade."

— Common Portuguese Sentiment

Understanding entristecer requires an appreciation for the 'inchoative' aspect of the -ecer suffix. Similar to verbs like amanhecer (to dawn) or envelhecer (to age), it implies a progression. It is not an instantaneous switch but often a sinking feeling that develops as a reaction to life's circumstances. In Brazilian Portuguese, you might hear the reflexive form used frequently in literature, whereas in daily speech, people might opt for 'ficar triste', but entristecer remains the more precise, evocative choice for describing the actual impact of an event on the soul.

"As palavras dele entristeceram profundamente a plateia, que esperava por boas notícias."

"Não deixes que os pequenos problemas te entristeçam o coração; a vida é feita de ciclos."

Emotional Depth
It conveys a deeper, more resonant sadness than 'chatear' (to annoy/upset).
Formal Tone
It is frequently used in journalism and literature to provide a serious tone to the narrative.

"O fado tem o poder de entristecer e consolar ao mesmo tempo."

"A despedida no aeroporto costuma entristecer até os corações mais fortes."

Using entristecer correctly involves understanding its grammatical flexibility. As a regular verb ending in -er, its conjugation follows standard patterns, but its application varies depending on whether you are the source of the sadness or the recipient. In its transitive form, the structure is typically: [Subject] + [entristecer] + [Object]. For example, 'O resultado do exame entristeceu os alunos.' Here, the result is the agent causing the emotion. This is a very common way to express that an external factor has impacted someone's mood negatively.

When you want to describe your own internal shift into sadness, the reflexive form entristecer-se is essential. The structure becomes: [Subject] + [Pronoun] + [entristecer]. For example, 'Eu me entristeço com a injustiça' (I become sad with injustice). Note that in European Portuguese, the pronoun often follows the verb (entristeço-me), whereas in Brazilian Portuguese, it usually precedes it (me entristeço). This reflexive use is more formal and poetic than simply saying 'fico triste'. It suggests a more profound or contemplative transition into sorrow.

Prepositional Usage
When using the reflexive form, you often need the preposition com (with) or por (for/because of). 'Ele se entristeceu com a notícia' or 'Ela se entristeceu por ver o amigo sofrer'.
Tense Nuances
The Pretérito Perfeito (entristeceu) marks a completed action of becoming sad, while the Imperfeito (entristecia) describes a state that used to happen or was happening. 'Aquela música sempre me entristecia' (That music always used to make me sad).

Furthermore, entristecer can be used in the subjunctive mood to express desires, doubts, or hypothetical situations regarding emotional states. 'Espero que isso não te entristeça' (I hope this doesn't make you sad). This is a crucial structure for social interactions where you want to show empathy or caution. Mastering the subjunctive of this verb allows you to navigate delicate emotional conversations with more grace and linguistic accuracy. It is also worth noting that the past participle entristecido can function as an adjective, meaning 'saddened' or 'made sad'. 'Ele parecia entristecido com o ocorrido' (He seemed saddened by what happened).

You will encounter entristecer in a variety of contexts, ranging from the high-brow literary world to the evening news. In Portuguese literature, especially in the works of romantic or realist authors like Machado de Assis or Fernando Pessoa, the verb is used to explore the depths of human melancholy. It provides a more sophisticated texture than the common word triste. When a character 'se entristece', it implies a narrative weight, a moment of reflection that changes the course of their internal monologue. It's a staple of the 'Saudade' culture, where the process of becoming sad is often seen as a necessary part of the human experience.

In modern media, particularly in journalism, entristecer is the go-to verb for reporting on tragic events or disappointing social trends. A news anchor might say, 'A situação dos refugiados entristece a comunidade internacional.' Here, the verb serves to dignify the collective emotion, moving beyond personal feelings to a broader, more formal expression of sorrow. It is also frequently found in song lyrics, especially in Fado (Portugal) or MPB (Brazil), where the melody often mirrors the 'ecer' transition—the slow descent into a minor key of sadness.

Social Media & Blogs
While 'ficar triste' is more common in a quick tweet, longer blog posts or 'desabafos' (venting) often use entristecer to add emotional weight to the writing.
Religious Contexts
In sermons or spiritual texts, the verb is used to describe the effect of sin or distance from the divine. 'Isso entristece o Espírito Santo' is a common theological phrase.

In everyday conversation, you might hear it in a more empathetic context. If a friend tells you bad news, responding with 'Isso me entristece muito' (That saddens me a lot) sounds more sincere and deeply felt than a simple 'Que triste'. It shows that you are actively processing the sadness they are sharing. Therefore, while it is a 'Level A2' word in terms of basic meaning, its usage spans all levels of social and cultural discourse in the Lusophone world, making it a vital tool for any serious learner of the language.

One of the most frequent errors for English speakers is the confusion between entristecer and the phrase ficar triste. While they are often interchangeable, they are not identical. Ficar triste is a state change ('to get sad'), while entristecer is the action of 'saddening'. If you say 'Eu entristeci', it sounds a bit incomplete in casual speech; you should usually say 'Eu me entristeci' (reflexive) or 'Isso me entristeceu' (transitive). Forgetting the reflexive pronoun se/me/te is a hallmark of a beginner mistake.

Another common pitfall is the incorrect use of prepositions. Learners often try to use de because 'triste' takes de (triste de ver...), but entristecer-se usually takes com or por. Saying 'Me entristeço de você' is incorrect; it should be 'Me entristeço por você' (I am saddened for/because of you) or 'Me entristeço com sua atitude' (I am saddened by your attitude). Understanding that the verb describes a reaction to a stimulus helps in choosing the right preposition.

Spelling Errors
Avoid the common misspelling 'entristecer' with an 's' instead of 'c' in the ending. The suffix is always '-ecer'. Also, ensure you don't forget the 'n' after 'e' (it's not 'etristecer').
Subject-Verb Agreement
In the transitive form, the verb must agree with the cause, not the person feeling sad. 'As notícias (plural) entristeceram (plural) o João (singular)'.

Finally, learners sometimes over-use entristecer in very casual settings where it might sound overly dramatic. If you dropped your ice cream, 'Isso me entristeceu' might be a bit much; 'Fiquei triste' or 'Que chato' would be more natural. Use entristecer when the sadness has a bit more weight or when you want to be more descriptive about the emotional impact of an event. Balancing the register—knowing when to be poetic and when to be colloquial—is a key step in moving from intermediate to advanced Portuguese.

To truly master entristecer, you must understand its neighbors in the emotional landscape of the Portuguese language. The most direct synonym is amargurar, which means 'to embitter'. While entristecer is about sadness, amargurar adds a layer of resentment or long-lasting pain. Another close relative is abatido (the past participle of abater), which means 'to cast down' or 'to deject'. If entristecer is the emotional shift, abater is the physical and mental exhaustion that often follows a great sorrow.

For milder forms of sadness, you might use chatear or aborrecer. These are closer to 'to annoy' or 'to upset' in English. If someone forgets your birthday, you might be chateado, but if a close friend moves away, you are entristecido. On the more intense side of the spectrum, we find desolar (to desolate) and angustiar (to cause anguish). These verbs describe a sadness so profound that it feels like a physical weight or an empty wasteland. Entristecer sits comfortably in the middle—more serious than a mere annoyance, but not necessarily as catastrophic as desolation.

Magoar
Focuses on 'hurting' someone's feelings. You can be magoado (hurt) without necessarily being entristecido (saddened), though they often go together.
Comover
Means 'to move' or 'to touch' emotionally. This can lead to sadness (tears of empathy), but it can also be a positive emotional stir.

In a literary context, you might also see melancolizar. This is specifically the act of making someone feel melancholy—a more thoughtful, lingering kind of sadness. By comparing entristecer with these alternatives, you can see that it is the most versatile and standard way to describe the transition into a sad state. It is the 'workhorse' verb for sadness in Portuguese, capable of carrying both light and heavy emotional loads depending on the context and the adverbs used with it (e.g., entristecer profundamente vs. entristecer um pouco).

How Formal Is It?

Formell

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Informell

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Schwierigkeitsgrad

Wichtige Grammatik

Beispiele nach Niveau

1

A chuva me entristece.

The rain makes me sad.

Simple transitive use: Subject (A chuva) + Object (me) + Verb (entristece).

2

O fim do filme entristece o menino.

The end of the movie saddens the boy.

The subject is 'O fim do filme'.

3

Não quero te entristecer.

I don't want to make you sad.

Infinitive form after another verb (querer).

4

Ver o lixo na rua me entristece.

Seeing trash on the street saddens me.

The subject is a verb phrase: 'Ver o lixo na rua'.

5

A despedida entristece a todos.

The farewell saddens everyone.

Use of 'a todos' as the object.

6

Por que você se entristece?

Why do you become sad?

Reflexive use (se entristece).

7

O inverno entristece os dias.

Winter saddens the days.

Metaphorical use of the verb.

8

Sua ausência me entristece.

Your absence saddens me.

Abstract subject: 'Sua ausência'.

1

Ontem, a notícia me entristeceu muito.

Yesterday, the news saddened me a lot.

Pretérito Perfeito (past tense).

2

Ele se entristeceu quando o amigo partiu.

He became sad when his friend left.

Reflexive past tense: 'se entristeceu'.

3

Nós nos entristecemos com o resultado do jogo.

We became sad with the game's result.

Reflexive plural form: 'nos entristecemos'.

4

Aquelas fotos antigas a entristeceram.

Those old photos saddened her.

Direct object pronoun 'a' before the verb.

5

Você se entristece facilmente?

Do you become sad easily?

Reflexive present tense.

6

O barulho da cidade me entristece às vezes.

The city noise saddens me sometimes.

Transitive present tense with frequency adverb.

7

Eles se entristeceram por causa da chuva.

They became sad because of the rain.

Reflexive past tense with a reason (por causa de).

8

Não se entristeça, tudo vai ficar bem.

Don't be sad, everything will be fine.

Imperative negative: 'Não se entristeça'.

1

Se eu perdesse meu emprego, isso me entristeceria.

If I lost my job, that would sadden me.

Conditional mood (entristeceria).

2

É normal que as pessoas se entristeçam no outono.

It's normal for people to become sad in autumn.

Present Subjunctive after 'É normal que'.

3

Eu esperava que a notícia não o entristecesse tanto.

I hoped the news wouldn't sadden him so much.

Imperfect Subjunctive (entristecesse).

4

A música que ele compôs entristecia a todos que a ouviam.

The music he composed used to sadden everyone who heard it.

Pretérito Imperfeito (entristecia) for habitual action.

5

Ela tem se entristecido muito ultimamente.

She has been becoming very sad lately.

Present Perfect Continuous (reflexive).

6

O que me entristece é a falta de educação das pessoas.

What saddens me is people's lack of manners.

Relative clause as subject: 'O que me entristece'.

7

Mesmo que isso me entristeça, eu preciso dizer a verdade.

Even if this saddens me, I need to tell the truth.

Subjunctive after 'Mesmo que'.

8

Sempre que vejo animais abandonados, me entristeço.

Whenever I see abandoned animals, I become sad.

Temporal clause followed by reflexive verb.

1

A desigualdade social entristece profundamente a alma da nação.

Social inequality deeply saddens the nation's soul.

Abstract transitive use with adverb 'profundamente'.

2

O autor utiliza o cenário para entristecer o tom da narrativa.

The author uses the setting to sadden the tone of the narrative.

Infinitive of purpose.

3

Não permitas que as decepções te entristeçam o espírito.

Do not allow disappointments to sadden your spirit.

Formal imperative with subjunctive.

4

A decadência do centro histórico entristece os moradores mais antigos.

The decay of the historic center saddens the oldest residents.

Specific subject and object agreement.

5

Houve um silêncio que entristeceu o ambiente subitamente.

There was a silence that suddenly saddened the atmosphere.

Relative clause describing an atmosphere.

6

Se tivéssemos contado a verdade, talvez ela não se entristecesse tanto.

If we had told the truth, maybe she wouldn't have become so sad.

Conditional perfect context with imperfect subjunctive.

7

O declínio da fauna local entristece os biólogos da região.

The decline of local fauna saddens the region's biologists.

Scientific/Formal context.

8

Ela se entristecia ao perceber que o tempo passava rápido demais.

She used to become sad upon realizing that time passed too quickly.

Reflexive imperfect with an infinitive clause.

1

A melancolia do fado parece entristecer as próprias pedras da calçada.

The melancholy of fado seems to sadden the very stones of the pavement.

Poetic personification.

2

É imperativo que não deixemos que a apatia nos entristeça a vontade de agir.

It is imperative that we do not let apathy sadden our will to act.

Complex subjunctive structure with abstract objects.

3

O crepúsculo, com suas cores pálidas, entristecia a paisagem bucólica.

The twilight, with its pale colors, saddened the bucolic landscape.

Literary description.

4

Entristece-me constatar que a humanidade repete os mesmos erros.

It saddens me to note that humanity repeats the same mistakes.

Formal European Portuguese placement (verb-pronoun).

5

A ausência de cores vibrantes na arquitetura moderna pode entristecer o olhar.

The absence of vibrant colors in modern architecture can sadden the gaze.

Metonymy: 'entristecer o olhar' (sadden the gaze/eye).

6

O protagonista se entristecera muito antes do clímax da história.

The protagonist had become very sad long before the story's climax.

Pretérito Mais-que-perfeito (pluperfect).

7

Não há nada que entristeça mais um mestre do que o desinteresse do aluno.

There is nothing that saddens a master more than a student's lack of interest.

Negative superlative structure with subjunctive.

8

A penumbra do casarão entristecia o espírito de quem o visitava.

The gloom of the large house saddened the spirit of whoever visited it.

Atmospheric subject.

1

A finitude da existência é um pensamento que costuma entristecer os filósofos.

The finiteness of existence is a thought that usually saddens philosophers.

Philosophical subject matter.

2

O entristecer do dia trazia consigo uma nostalgia inefável.

The saddening of the day brought with it an ineffable nostalgia.

Substantive use of the infinitive (O entristecer).

3

Pudesse eu evitar, jamais permitiria que tal fardo te entristecesse.

Could I avoid it, I would never allow such a burden to sadden you.

Inverted conditional/subjunctive structure (Pudesse eu).

4

A erosão dos valores éticos entristece o tecido social de forma irreversível.

The erosion of ethical values saddens the social fabric irreversibly.

Sociological metaphor.

5

A obra, em sua essência, busca entristecer para depois purificar através da catarse.

The work, in its essence, seeks to sadden and then purify through catharsis.

Artistic/Theoretical context.

6

Nada obsta a que nos entristeçamos perante a beleza efêmera das flores.

Nothing prevents us from becoming sad before the ephemeral beauty of flowers.

Highly formal structure 'Nada obsta a que'.

7

O cariz melancólico daquela prosa entristecia até o leitor mais incauto.

The melancholic nature of that prose saddened even the most unwary reader.

Advanced vocabulary (cariz, incauto).

8

Entristecer-se é, por vezes, um ato de resistência contra a ditadura da felicidade.

To become sad is, at times, an act of resistance against the dictatorship of happiness.

Reflexive infinitive as a subject.

Häufige Kollokationen

Entristecer profundamente
Entristecer o coração
Entristecer a alma
Entristecer-se com a notícia
Entristecer-se por nada
Entristecer o ambiente
Entristecer o olhar
Entristecer subitamente
Entristecer os pais
Entristecer a plateia

Häufige Phrasen

Isso me entristece.

Não te queiras entristecer.

Entristece-me saber que...

Ele se entristeceu à toa.

A notícia entristeceu a todos.

Não deixe o passado te entristecer.

O que te entristece?

Ela entristeceu de repente.

Sinto entristecer você com isso.

O fado entristece a alma.

Wird oft verwechselt mit

entristecer vs Ficar triste (more casual)

entristecer vs Magoar (focuses on hurt feelings)

entristecer vs Chatear (focuses on annoyance)

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

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Leicht verwechselbar

entristecer vs

entristecer vs

entristecer vs

Satzmuster

So verwendest du es

Subjunctive

Commonly used in the subjunctive to express hope or fear about emotions.

Adjectival use

The past participle 'entristecido' is a very common adjective.

Reflexive vs Transitive

Transitive = you make someone sad. Reflexive = you become sad.

Häufige Fehler
  • Forgetting the reflexive pronoun: 'Eu entristeci' instead of 'Eu me entristeci'.
  • Using the wrong preposition: 'Entristecer de' instead of 'Entristecer com/por'.
  • Misspelling the suffix: 'Entristeser' instead of 'Entristecer'.
  • Confusing with 'chatear': Using 'entristecer' for a small annoyance like a traffic jam.
  • Incorrect agreement: 'A notícia entristeceram' instead of 'A notícia entristeceu'.

Tipps

Build Word Families

Learn 'triste', 'tristeza', and 'entristecer' together to reinforce the root meaning across different parts of speech.

Reflexive Pronouns

Practice the reflexive form 'entristecer-se' to describe your own feelings accurately. It's a key intermediate skill.

Avoid Overuse

Don't use 'entristecer' for minor inconveniences. Save it for things that truly impact your mood or have emotional weight.

Nasal 'EN'

Make sure the 'en' is nasal. Don't pronounce the 'n' fully like in 'enter'; it's more like the French 'en'.

Cultural Nuance

Use it when discussing Fado or Brazilian 'saudade' to show you understand the cultural depth of sadness.

Journaling

Try writing one sentence every day about something that 'entristeceu' you to practice the past tense.

Empathy

Saying 'Isso me entristece' is a powerful way to show a friend you care about their problems.

Song Lyrics

Listen for this verb in slow ballads. It's a very common word in emotional Portuguese music.

News Headlines

Look for this verb in news reports about social issues to see how it's used in a formal, objective way.

Subjunctive Practice

Practice the phrase 'Espero que não te entristeça' to master the present subjunctive in a useful social context.

Einprägen

Wortherkunft

From Latin 'tristis' (sad) + Portuguese prefix 'en-' and suffix '-ecer'.

Kultureller Kontext

The Portuguese musical genre Fado is designed to 'entristecer' and 'consolar' simultaneously.

Authors like Clarice Lispector use the verb to explore internal psychological shifts.

Using 'entristecer' shows a high level of empathy in social situations.

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

Gesprächseinstiege

"O que mais te entristece no mundo hoje?"

"Você se entristece com facilidade ao ver filmes?"

"Essa música te entristece ou te acalma?"

"O que podemos fazer para não nos entristecermos com as pequenas coisas?"

"A chuva costuma te entristecer?"

Tagebuch-Impulse

Escreva sobre um momento que te entristeceu recentemente.

Como você lida quando algo te entristece profundamente?

O que entristece a sua cidade ou comunidade?

Descreva uma paisagem que te entristece.

Reflita sobre a frase: 'Entristecer-se é humano'.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

Yes, it is more formal than 'ficar triste'. It is commonly used in literature, news, and serious conversations to describe the act of becoming or making someone sad.

Yes, you can use it metaphorically for things like 'o dia' (the day) or 'o ambiente' (the environment) to describe them becoming gloomy or sad.

'Entristecer' is about the general state of sadness, while 'magoar' specifically implies that someone's feelings were hurt or offended.

It is a regular -er verb: eu entristeci, você entristeceu, nós entristecemos, eles entristeceram.

No, only if the subject is the one becoming sad. If the subject is making someone else sad, use the transitive form without 'se'.

Yes, 'entristecido' is the past participle and acts as an adjective meaning 'saddened'.

Usually 'com' (with) or 'por' (for/because of). Example: 'Me entristeço com a guerra'.

Yes, it is used in all Portuguese-speaking countries, though pronoun placement varies (me entristeço vs entristece-me).

No, for 'to bore' you would use 'entediar' or 'aborrecer'.

The related noun is 'tristeza' (sadness).

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