When you're feeling desalentado, it means you've lost your sparkle, your confidence, or your enthusiasm for something.
It's that feeling of being down in the dumps because things haven't gone your way, or you're facing a tough challenge.
Think of it as the opposite of feeling motivated and optimistic.
It's a common human emotion, and using this word shows you can express more nuanced feelings in Portuguese.
Let's talk about the Portuguese word "desalentado." This isn't a super common word, but it's very useful for describing someone who has lost hope or enthusiasm. Think of it as feeling really down or discouraged. You'll hear it in everyday conversations, especially when people are talking about setbacks or difficult situations.
- DEFINITION
- Dismayed, discouraged; having lost confidence or enthusiasm.
As an adjective, "desalentado" changes its ending to match the noun it describes. Remember, in Portuguese, adjectives agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they modify. This means you'll see it as "desalentado," "desalentada," "desalentados," or "desalentadas."
§ Basic Usage
You'll typically use "desalentado" with the verb "estar" (to be) to describe a temporary state or feeling. It's similar to saying someone *is* discouraged.
Ele estava muito desalentado depois de perder o jogo. (He was very discouraged after losing the game.)
Ela ficou desalentada com as notícias ruins. (She became dismayed by the bad news.)
§ Agreement in Gender and Number
Here's how the adjective changes:
- Masculine Singular: desalentado (e.g., O menino estava desalentado. - The boy was discouraged.)
- Feminine Singular: desalentada (e.g., A menina estava desalentada. - The girl was discouraged.)
- Masculine Plural: desalentados (e.g., Os meninos estavam desalentados. - The boys were discouraged.)
- Feminine Plural: desalentadas (e.g., As meninas estavam desalentadas. - The girls were discouraged.)
§ Common Prepositions and Phrases
While "desalentado" itself doesn't always require a specific preposition, it often appears with phrases that indicate the *cause* of the discouragement. You'll frequently see "com" (with/by) or "por" (for/by) to explain *why* someone is feeling desalentado.
Ele estava desalentado com a falta de progresso. (He was discouraged by the lack of progress.)
As pessoas estavam desalentadas pela demora. (The people were dismayed by the delay.)
§ More Examples in Context
A equipe ficou desalentada após a derrota inesperada. (The team became dismayed after the unexpected defeat.)
Não fique desalentado, as coisas vão melhorar. (Don't be discouraged, things will get better.)
Mesmo desalentados, eles continuaram a tentar. (Even though they were discouraged, they kept trying.)
So, when you want to express that someone is really feeling down, has lost their drive, or is dismayed by something, "desalentado" is a perfect word to use. Remember to adjust its ending based on who or what you're describing, and you'll be using it like a pro in no time.
§ Understanding 'Desalentado'
You've learned that 'desalentado' means dismayed or discouraged, someone who has lost confidence or enthusiasm. It's a useful adjective to describe a state of mind when things aren't going well, and someone feels down because of it. Think of it as a deeper sense of discouragement, often implying a loss of hope or drive.
- DEFINITION
- Dismayed, discouraged; having lost confidence or enthusiasm.
Ele ficou desalentado depois de perder o emprego. (He felt discouraged after losing his job.)
A equipe estava desalentada com os resultados ruins. (The team was dismayed by the bad results.)
§ Similar Words and Their Nuances
Portuguese has several words that can describe similar feelings, but each carries a slightly different nuance. Knowing these differences will help you choose the most precise word for your situation.
- Desanimado: This is probably the closest synonym to 'desalentado' and is often used interchangeably. It means disheartened, discouraged, or out of spirits. However, 'desalentado' can sometimes imply a stronger sense of having lost hope or courage, while 'desanimado' can be a more general feeling of being low in spirits.
Ela ficou desanimada com as críticas. (She got disheartened by the criticism.)
- Triste: This simply means sad. While a person who is 'desalentado' is likely also 'triste', 'triste' doesn't convey the loss of confidence or enthusiasm. It's a more general emotional state.
Ele estava muito triste com a notícia. (He was very sad about the news.)
- Frustrado: This means frustrated. A 'desalentado' person might also be 'frustrado', but frustration implies a feeling of being blocked or unable to achieve something, often leading to irritation. 'Desalentado' is more about a complete loss of drive.
Ela se sentiu frustrada com a falta de progresso. (She felt frustrated by the lack of progress.)
- Aborrecido: This can mean annoyed, bored, or upset. It's generally a lighter form of negative emotion compared to 'desalentado'.
Estou aborrecido com este problema. (I am annoyed with this problem.)
§ When to Choose 'Desalentado'
Use 'desalentado' when you want to emphasize the loss of courage, hope, or drive. It suggests a more significant impact on someone's spirit and motivation. It's often used when someone faces repeated failures, major setbacks, or a long period of difficulty that erodes their enthusiasm.
Think of it as a state where the 'sal' (salt, or spirit/essence) has been removed, leaving someone without their usual zest for things. It's a strong word for a strong feeling of discouragement.
مثالها بر اساس سطح
Ele estava desalentado depois de perder o jogo.
He was disheartened after losing the game.
Ela ficou desalentada com as notícias ruins.
She became discouraged by the bad news.
Os trabalhadores estavam desalentados com a falta de progresso.
The workers were dismayed by the lack of progress.
Não fique desalentado, as coisas vão melhorar.
Don't be discouraged, things will get better.
Ele se sentiu desalentado ao ver o trabalho que tinha pela frente.
He felt disheartened when he saw the work ahead.
A equipe estava desalentada após a derrota.
The team was discouraged after the defeat.
Por que você está tão desalentado hoje?
Why are you so dismayed today?
Ela não queria que ele ficasse desalentado.
She didn't want him to become discouraged.
Ele estava desalentado depois de perder o jogo.
He was disheartened after losing the game.
Ela ficou desalentada com as más notícias.
She became discouraged by the bad news.
Não fique desalentado, as coisas vão melhorar.
Don't be discouraged, things will get better.
Os trabalhadores estavam desalentados com a falta de progresso.
The workers were dismayed by the lack of progress.
Sinto-me um pouco desalentado hoje.
I feel a little disheartened today.
Ele parecia desalentado após a reunião.
He looked discouraged after the meeting.
Mesmo desalentado, ele continuou a tentar.
Even though discouraged, he kept trying.
As crianças ficaram desalentadas quando a chuva estragou seus planos.
The children were dismayed when the rain ruined their plans.
Ele ficou desalentado com a notícia da demissão.
He was discouraged by the news of the dismissal.
Depois de tantas tentativas, comecei a me sentir desalentado.
After so many attempts, I started to feel disheartened.
A equipe estava desalentada após a derrota no jogo final.
The team was dismayed after the defeat in the final game.
Não fique desalentado, as coisas vão melhorar.
Don't be discouraged, things will get better.
Ela estava um pouco desalentada com os resultados do exame.
She was a little disheartened with the exam results.
Ver a situação piorar deixou-o ainda mais desalentado.
Seeing the situation worsen made him even more dismayed.
É normal sentir-se desalentado às vezes, mas não desista.
It's normal to feel discouraged sometimes, but don't give up.
Os trabalhadores estavam desalentados com a falta de progresso.
The workers were disheartened by the lack of progress.
Apesar dos reveses, a equipe não se sentiu desalentada e continuou a trabalhar em prol do objetivo comum.
Despite setbacks, the team did not feel dismayed and continued to work towards the common goal.
Here, 'desalentada' agrees with 'a equipe' (feminine singular).
Após a notícia da demissão inesperada, ele ficou profundamente desalentado com o rumo de sua carreira.
After the news of the unexpected dismissal, he became deeply discouraged with the direction of his career.
'desalentado' agrees with 'ele' (masculine singular).
A situação econômica atual tem deixado muitos pequenos empresários desalentados com o futuro de seus negócios.
The current economic situation has left many small business owners disheartened about the future of their businesses.
'desalentados' agrees with 'muitos pequenos empresários' (masculine plural).
Ela se sentiu desalentada ao perceber que todos os seus esforços para resolver o problema tinham sido em vão.
She felt discouraged when she realized that all her efforts to solve the problem had been in vain.
'desalentada' agrees with 'Ela' (feminine singular).
Os resultados negativos sucessivos deixaram os pesquisadores desalentados, mas eles decidiram persistir.
The successive negative results left the researchers dismayed, but they decided to persist.
'desalentados' agrees with 'os pesquisadores' (masculine plural).
Mesmo diante de um cenário tão complexo, a líder da comunidade nunca se mostrou desalentada, inspirando todos ao seu redor.
Even in such a complex scenario, the community leader never showed herself discouraged, inspiring everyone around her.
'desalentada' agrees with 'a líder' (feminine singular).
O desalento tomou conta da torcida após a derrota inesperada do time favorito.
Dismay took over the crowd after the unexpected defeat of the favorite team.
Here, 'desalento' is the noun form, meaning 'dismay' or 'discouragement'.
É compreensível que se sintam desalentados após tantos obstáculos, mas é preciso manter a esperança.
It's understandable that they feel discouraged after so many obstacles, but it's necessary to maintain hope.
'desalentados' agrees with the implied 'eles/elas' (they, masculine/feminine plural).
اغلب اشتباه گرفته میشود با
Very similar to 'desanimado'; means lacking motivation. 'Desalentado' can lead to being 'desmotivado'.
A person who is 'desalentado' might become 'pessimista' (pessimistic), but 'pessimista' is a personality trait or outlook, not a temporary emotional state.
While being 'desalentado' can make one 'triste' (sad), 'triste' is a broader term for sadness. 'Desalentado' implies a specific reason for the sadness related to loss of courage or enthusiasm.
اصطلاحات و عبارات
"Ficar de queixo caído"
To be dumbfounded / shocked (literally: 'to be left with a dropped jaw')
Fiquei de queixo caído quando vi o preço daquele carro. (I was dumbfounded when I saw the price of that car.)
neutral"Estar com a pulga atrás da orelha"
To have a flea behind the ear / to be suspicious or uneasy about something
Ele ficou com a pulga atrás da orelha depois daquela ligação estranha. (He was suspicious after that strange call.)
neutral"Pôr a mão no fogo por alguém"
To put one's hand in the fire for someone / to vouch strongly for someone's character or innocence
Ponho a mão no fogo por ele, sei que é honesto. (I'd vouch for him, I know he's honest.)
neutral"Ter dois pesos e duas medidas"
To have two weights and two measures / to apply different standards to different people or situations
Não é justo, ele sempre tem dois pesos e duas medidas. (It's not fair, he always has double standards.)
neutral"Cair a ficha"
For the penny to drop / for something to finally make sense or be understood
Só depois de alguns minutos é que a ficha caiu. (Only after a few minutes did it click.)
informal"Dar com a língua nos dentes"
To let the cat out of the bag / to reveal a secret unintentionally
Ele acabou dando com a língua nos dentes e contou tudo. (He ended up spilling the beans and told everything.)
informal"Pôr lenha na fogueira"
To put wood on the fire / to add fuel to the fire, to worsen a situation
Com os comentários dele, só pôs lenha na fogueira. (With his comments, he just added fuel to the fire.)
neutral"Comer a bola"
To mess up, to make a mistake (literally: 'to eat the ball', common in sports context)
Ele comeu a bola e perdeu o gol. (He messed up and missed the goal.)
informal"Segurar a onda"
To hold the wave / to keep calm, to maintain control in a difficult situation
Apesar do caos, ele conseguiu segurar a onda. (Despite the chaos, he managed to keep calm.)
informal"Tirar o cavalinho da chuva"
To take the little horse out of the rain / to give up on a hope or expectation because it's unrealistic
Se você pensa que vai conseguir isso, pode tirar o cavalinho da chuva. (If you think you're going to get that, you can forget about it.)
informalبهراحتی اشتباه گرفته میشود
Both 'desalentado' and 'desanimado' mean discouraged. However, 'desanimado' is a more general term for feeling down or lacking motivation.
'Desalentado' often implies a loss of courage or spirit in the face of a challenge, while 'desanimado' can be used for any general feeling of being disheartened.
Ele ficou *desanimado* com as notícias. (He got *discouraged* by the news.)
While both express a negative state, 'desesperado' implies a stronger, more intense feeling of hopelessness.
'Desalentado' is a state of being disheartened, whereas 'desesperado' suggests a feeling of no hope left, often leading to frantic actions.
Ela estava *desesperada* depois de perder tudo. (She was *desperate* after losing everything.)
Similar to 'desalentado' in that both involve negative emotions, but 'frustrado' specifically refers to feeling annoyed or upset because one cannot achieve something.
'Desalentado' is about a loss of spirit, while 'frustrado' is about unmet expectations or blocked progress.
Ele se sentiu *frustrado* por não conseguir resolver o problema. (He felt *frustrated* because he couldn't solve the problem.)
Can be confused because 'abatido' also means downcast or dejected, sharing a similar emotional tone with 'desalentado'.
'Abatido' often suggests a more physical or visible manifestation of sadness or low spirits, like looking tired or slumped, while 'desalentado' is more about the internal loss of courage.
Depois da derrota, o time estava *abatido*. (After the defeat, the team was *downcast*.)
Both indicate dissatisfaction, but 'descontente' is a milder form of displeasure compared to the deeper emotional impact of 'desalentado'.
'Desalentado' implies a significant emotional setback and loss of confidence, whereas 'descontente' simply means not satisfied or unhappy with a situation.
Os funcionários estavam *descontentes* com o novo gerente. (The employees were *discontent* with the new manager.)
خودت رو بسنج 24 سوال
Depois de perder o emprego, ele se sentiu muito ___.
The context implies a negative feeling after losing a job, making 'desalentado' (discouraged) the best fit.
A equipe ficou ___ após a derrota no campeonato.
Losing a championship would naturally make a team feel discouraged, so 'desalentada' is appropriate.
Não fique ___ com as dificuldades, continue tentando.
The sentence advises against giving up due to difficulties, meaning one shouldn't become 'desalentado' (discouraged).
O aluno ficou ___ com a nota baixa na prova de português.
A low test score would likely make a student feel discouraged, thus 'desalentado' is the correct choice.
Ela estava ___ por não conseguir resolver o problema.
Not being able to solve a problem would lead to feeling discouraged, making 'desalentada' the appropriate word.
Apesar dos desafios, ele não ficou ___ e seguiu em frente.
The phrase 'apesar dos desafios' (despite the challenges) suggests overcoming discouragement, so 'desalentado' fits the context of what he did not become.
This sentence means 'He became dismayed with the bad news.' The order follows a typical Portuguese sentence structure: Subject-Verb-Adjective-Prepositional Phrase.
This sentence translates to 'Don't be discouraged if things don't work out the first time.' It uses the imperative 'não fique' (don't be) followed by the adjective and a conditional clause.
This sentence means 'The team was dismayed after the unexpected defeat.' The adjective 'desalentada' agrees in gender and number with 'a equipe' (the team).
Apesar dos contratempos, ele não se sentiu ___ e continuou a lutar pelos seus sonhos.
The context implies a negative state of mind that he did not feel despite setbacks, so 'desalentado' (discouraged) fits best.
Após a notícia da demissão inesperada, ela ficou bastante ___ sobre o futuro de sua carreira.
The unexpected dismissal would naturally lead to a feeling of discouragement about the future.
O time de futebol, depois de cinco derrotas consecutivas, estava visivelmente ___.
Five consecutive losses would cause a team to feel discouraged.
Ele se sentiu ___ ao perceber que todos os seus esforços foram em vão.
Realizing that all efforts were in vain leads to a feeling of discouragement.
A crise econômica deixou muitas pessoas ___ e incertas sobre o que virá.
An economic crisis would leave many people feeling discouraged and uncertain.
A falta de apoio da comunidade fez com que o ativista se sentisse ___ e considerasse desistir.
A lack of community support would make an activist feel discouraged and consider giving up.
This sentence structure emphasizes the resilience against difficulties. 'Apesar dos contratempos' (Despite the setbacks) sets the initial condition, followed by the subject 'ele' (he) and the verb 'manteve-se firme' (remained firm), concluding with 'e não ficou desalentado' (and did not become disheartened).
The sentence starts with the subject 'A equipe' (The team) followed by the verb 'estava desalentada' (was dismayed). The reason for their dismay is then given: 'após a derrota inesperada' (after the unexpected defeat), concluding with 'na final do campeonato' (in the championship final).
This sentence begins with the subject 'Ele' (He) and the reflexive verb 'se sentiu' (felt himself), intensified by 'profundamente' (deeply). The cause of his dismay is expressed with 'com a falta de apoio' (with the lack of support), specifying 'dos colegas' (from his colleagues) and 'para seu projeto' (for his project).
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مثال
A equipe ficou desalentada após a derrota inesperada.
محتوای مرتبط
واژههای بیشتر emotions
a sério?
A2seriously?, an expression of surprise, disbelief, or to check earnestness
abalado
A2Emotionally disturbed or upset; shaken.
abalar
A2To shake or disturb (emotionally); to affect deeply.
abalo
A2Shock, emotional disturbance; a sudden, disturbing, or upsetting emotional experience.
abandonado
B1Left by the owner or inhabitants; deserted.
abatidamente
B1In a dejected or disheartened manner; dejectedly.
abatido
A2Dejected; sad and depressed; dispirited.
abatimento
A2Dejection; a sad and depressed state; low spirits.
abertamente
A2openly, frankly; without concealment; publicly.
abismado
B1Filled with astonishment or wonder.
