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entristecer-se

A2 verb #4,500 most common 10 min read

entristecer-se

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Practice it Examples Notes & Tips entristecer-se in 30 Seconds

Explanation entristecer-se in your Level:

At the A1 level, you are just starting to learn how to express feelings. You probably already know the word 'triste' (sad) and the verb 'estar' (to be). So, 'Eu estou triste' is your basic sentence. 'Entristecer-se' is a bit more advanced because it is a reflexive verb. Think of it as 'to become sad.' At this level, don't worry too much about the complex grammar. Just try to recognize that when you see 'se entristece,' it means someone is getting sad. In English, we often say 'I get sad.' In Portuguese, they use this special verb. For an A1 learner, the most important thing is to remember the little words that go with it: 'me' for I, 'se' for he/she. For example: 'Eu me entristeço' (I get sad). It's like a formula. If you can remember that 'en-triste-cer' has the word 'triste' inside it, you will always know what it means. It's like a sandwich: 'en' + 'triste' + 'ecer.' The 'en' and 'ecer' just turn the adjective into a verb that shows a change happening. Practice saying 'Eu me entristeço' when you see a sad movie. This helps you connect the word to a real feeling.

At the A2 level, you are building your vocabulary and starting to use more reflexive verbs. 'Entristecer-se' is a perfect example of an inchoative verb—a verb that shows the beginning of a state. You should start practicing this verb in the past tense (Pretérito Perfeito) because we often talk about when we *became* sad. For example: 'Ontem, eu me entristeci com a notícia' (Yesterday, I became sad with the news). Notice the change from 'triste' (adjective) to 'entristecer-se' (verb). A2 learners should also focus on the preposition 'com' (with). We don't say 'sad about' in the same way; we say 'entristecer-se com algo.' Also, pay attention to the difference between 'ficar triste' (very common, casual) and 'entristecer-se' (more formal, more 'book-like'). You will start seeing this verb in short stories or news articles. A good exercise is to take a sentence like 'Eu fiquei triste' and try to upgrade it to 'Eu me entristeci' to sound more advanced. Remember that in Brazilian Portuguese, we usually put the 'me' or 'se' before the verb: 'Ele se entristeceu.' In Portugal, they often put it after: 'Ele entristeceu-se.' Both are correct, but usually, learners pick one style to follow.

As a B1 learner, you should be comfortable with the regular conjugation of 'entristecer-se' in the present, past, and future. You should also start using it in the Imperfect tense to describe ongoing feelings in the past: 'Eu me entristecia toda vez que ela partia' (I used to get sad every time she left). At this level, you can also explore the subjunctive mood. For example: 'Espero que você não se entristeça com isso' (I hope you don't get sad about this). This is a very common way to show empathy and use the verb in a complex sentence structure. You should also understand the transitive version without the 'se'. 'Isso me entristece' means 'This saddens me.' Here, 'isso' is the subject doing the action to 'me' (the object). This is slightly different from 'Eu me entristeço' (I sadden myself/I become sad). B1 is the stage where you start to feel the nuance. You might choose 'entristecer-se' over 'ficar triste' when you want to be more expressive in your writing or in a formal presentation. You are also learning more synonyms like 'abater-se' or 'magoar-se,' so you can start comparing them. 'Entristecer-se' is purely about the emotion of sadness, whereas 'magoar-se' usually involves feeling hurt by someone.

At the B2 level, you are expected to use 'entristecer-se' with more precision and in a wider variety of grammatical contexts. You should be familiar with more complex pronoun placements, such as with auxiliary verbs: 'Ele não quis se entristecer' or 'Ele não se quis entristecer.' You should also recognize the verb in more formal or literary contexts, including the 'mesoclisis' (though rare) or complex conditional sentences: 'Se eu soubesse, não me teria entristecido tanto' (If I had known, I wouldn't have become so sad). At B2, you should also be able to discuss the word's etymology and how it relates to other verbs like 'enriquecer' (to become rich) or 'envelhecer' (to grow old), recognizing the 'en-...-ecer' pattern as a productive way to form verbs from adjectives. Your vocabulary should now include related nouns like 'entristecimento' (the act of becoming sad), though it's less common than 'tristeza'. You can use 'entristecer-se' to describe social or collective moods, not just personal ones: 'A sociedade entristece-se com a violência.' This level requires you to understand the emotional weight the word carries compared to its synonyms and to use it to add 'color' to your narrative or argumentative speech.

For C1 learners, 'entristecer-se' is a tool for stylistic variation and emotional depth. You should be able to use it effortlessly in high-level academic or literary discussions. At this stage, you understand that 'entristecer-se' can sometimes carry a poetic or philosophical connotation that 'ficar triste' cannot reach. You might use it to discuss the 'pathos' in a piece of literature or the emotional arc of a historical figure. You should also be fully aware of the subtle differences in pronoun placement between European and Brazilian Portuguese and be able to switch between them if necessary. For instance, in a formal Portuguese essay, you would likely write 'Entristecer-se-ia o autor se visse o estado atual de sua obra?' (Would the author be saddened if he saw the current state of his work?). This use of the conditional with an integrated pronoun is a hallmark of C1/C2 proficiency. You should also be able to use the verb metaphorically, perhaps describing a landscape or an era: 'A paisagem entristece-se com a chegada do outono' (The landscape grows sad with the arrival of autumn). This level of personification shows a deep command of the language’s expressive capabilities.

At the C2 level, you have a near-native or native-like grasp of 'entristecer-se'. You understand its place in the history of the Portuguese language and its role in the works of canonical authors like Fernando Pessoa or Clarice Lispector. You can analyze how the verb functions within the rhythm of a sentence and choose it specifically for its phonological qualities or its evocative power. You are comfortable with all archaic or highly formal forms, and you can use the verb in complex rhetorical structures. You might explore the philosophical implications of the reflexive form—the idea of the self being both the subject and the object of sadness. In a C2 context, you might discuss the 'reflexividade' of emotions in Romance languages compared to the more 'static' adjectives in Germanic languages. You can also identify and use very rare related forms or derivatives in specialized contexts. For you, 'entristecer-se' is not just a vocabulary word; it's a versatile instrument that you can play with different intensities and tones to convey the most subtle shades of human sorrow, from a passing shadow of regret to a profound, transformative grief.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

entristecer-se in 30 Seconds

A reflexive verb meaning 'to become sad.'
More formal and literary than the common phrase 'ficar triste.'
Requires reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos) to match the subject.
Commonly followed by prepositions 'com' or 'por' to indicate the cause.

The Portuguese verb entristecer-se is a reflexive verb that translates to 'to become sad,' 'to grow sad,' or 'to get sad.' It is derived from the adjective triste (sad), combined with the prefix en- and the suffix -ecer, which often denotes a change of state or the beginning of a process in Portuguese verbs. Because it is reflexive (indicated by the -se), the action reflects back onto the subject; essentially, the subject 'saddens themselves' or enters a state of sadness due to an external or internal cause. While English often uses the auxiliary verb 'to get' (to get sad), Portuguese utilizes this specific verbal structure to encapsulate the entire emotional transition in a single word.

Emotional Transition: It describes the movement from a neutral or happy state into a state of sorrow. It is not just about being sad, but about the moment or process of falling into that mood.
Formal vs. Informal: In everyday spoken Brazilian Portuguese, people frequently use the phrase ficar triste. However, entristecer-se is very common in literature, formal writing, journalism, and more sophisticated conversation.

Ao ler a carta, ela entristeceu-se profundamente e começou a chorar.

Translation: Upon reading the letter, she became deeply sad and began to cry.

The beauty of entristecer-se lies in its ability to convey a certain weight or gravity. If someone says 'fiquei triste,' it might be a fleeting feeling about a minor inconvenience. If someone says 'entristeci-me,' it often suggests a more profound or poetic internal shift. You will encounter this verb frequently in Fado lyrics from Portugal or in the works of great Brazilian writers like Machado de Assis, where the interiority of the characters is explored with precision. Understanding this verb requires recognizing that emotional states in Portuguese are often treated as dynamic processes rather than static conditions.

Não devemos entristecer-se por coisas pequenas que não podemos controlar.

Grammar Note: In European Portuguese, the pronoun often follows the verb (entristecer-se), while in Brazilian Portuguese, it usually precedes the verb (se entristecer) in neutral speech.

Contextually, this word is used when discussing reactions to news, the passing of time, the loss of a friend, or even the atmosphere of a place. It's a versatile tool for expressing empathy. When you say 'Eu me entristeço com essa situação,' you are showing a deeper level of engagement with the sorrow than a simple 'Estou triste' (I am sad). It implies that the situation is actively affecting your mood and causing a change within you.

Using entristecer-se correctly involves mastering two main components: the conjugation of the verb entristecer and the placement of the reflexive pronoun. As a regular -er verb in the inchoative class (verbs ending in -ecer), it follows a predictable pattern similar to acontecer or aparecer. However, the reflexive nature adds a layer of complexity for English speakers who aren't used to marking the subject as the recipient of the emotion.

Present Tense: Eu me entristeço (I get sad), Você se entristece (You get sad), Nós nos entristecemos (We get sad), Eles se entristecem (They get sad).

Sempre que vejo animais abandonados, eu me entristeço imediatamente.

When using the past tense (Pretérito Perfeito), the verb describes a specific moment when the sadness began. This is one of the most common uses of the word. For example, 'Ele se entristeceu quando ouviu a notícia' (He became sad when he heard the news). Here, the focus is on the impact of the news causing a shift in his emotional state. In contrast, 'Ele estava triste' would simply describe how he was feeling without emphasizing the change.

Eles se entristeceram com o fim do verão e a volta às aulas.

Reflexive Pronoun Placement: In Brazil: 'Se entristecer' is common in the infinitive. In Portugal: 'Entristecer-se' is the standard. If there is a helper verb, like 'poder' or 'ir', you can say 'Vou me entristecer' or 'Vou entristecer-me'.

Furthermore, entristecer-se is often followed by the preposition com (with/by) or por (because of/for). For example: 'Entristeço-me com a sua partida' (I am saddened by your departure). This prepositional link helps specify the cause of the emotion, making your Portuguese sound more natural and precise. It is less common to use it without a cause, as the verb itself implies a reaction to something.

Não se entristeça, amanhã será um dia melhor para todos nós.

You might wonder if people actually use entristecer-se in the street or if it's just for dusty old books. The answer is that it occupies a specific niche in the Lusophone world. While 'ficar triste' is the king of casual conversation, entristecer-se is the go-to verb for moments of sincerity, gravity, and formal expression. You will hear it in news broadcasts when a journalist reports on a tragic event: 'O país entristece-se com a perda do grande artista' (The country is saddened by the loss of the great artist).

In Music and Poetry: Portuguese and Brazilian music (MPB, Fado, Bossa Nova) is rich with emotional vocabulary. Lyrics often use this verb to describe the romantic melancholy or the 'saudade' that is so central to the culture.
Religious and Spiritual Contexts: In sermons or spiritual readings, this verb is used to describe the state of the soul. 'Não entristeçais o Espírito Santo' (Do not grieve the Holy Spirit) is a common biblical phrasing found in Portuguese translations.

Ao ver as ruínas do castelo, o poeta entristeceu-se pensando na glória do passado.

In soap operas (telenovelas), which are a massive part of Brazilian and Portuguese culture, characters often use this verb in dramatic monologues. When a protagonist is betrayed, they might say 'Eu me entristeço ao ver que você não mudou nada' (It saddens me to see that you haven't changed at all). Using entristecer-se here adds a level of dignity and emotional weight that 'ficar triste' lacks. It signals that the speaker is taking their emotions seriously.

A comunidade se entristece com o fechamento da antiga biblioteca.

Finally, you will find it in academic or psychological texts. When discussing the symptoms of depression or the nature of grief, researchers use entristecer-se to describe the clinical or philosophical onset of sadness. It is a precise word for a complex human experience. By learning it, you move beyond basic communication and start to touch the soul of the Portuguese language, which values the expression of deep feeling (sentimento).

One of the most frequent hurdles for learners of Portuguese is the reflexive nature of entristecer-se. Because English uses the adjective 'sad' with verbs like 'to be' or 'to get,' students often forget the reflexive pronoun entirely or use the wrong one. Another common mistake is the confusion between the transitive form entristecer (to make someone else sad) and the reflexive form entristecer-se (to become sad yourself).

Mistake 1: Omitting the Pronoun: Incorrect: 'Eu entristeci com a notícia.' Correct: 'Eu me entristeci com a notícia.' Without the pronoun, the sentence sounds incomplete or like you were the cause of the sadness rather than the one experiencing it.

Cuidado: Não diga 'Ela entristeceu'. Diga 'Ela se entristeceu'.

Another error involves pronoun placement (clitics). In Portuguese, especially in formal writing or European Portuguese, there are strict rules about where 'me, te, se, nos' go. A common mistake is putting the pronoun after the verb in a negative sentence: 'Não entristeça-se' is wrong; it must be 'Não se entristeça.' Negative words like 'não', 'nunca', and 'jamais' pull the pronoun to the front (proclisis).

Learners also struggle with the preposition that follows the verb. While in English we might say 'sad about,' in Portuguese, 'entristecer-se' usually takes com or por. Saying 'Eu me entristeço sobre a notícia' sounds like a direct translation from English and is quite unnatural. Stick to 'com' for events/things and 'por' for people or causes. For example: 'Me entristeço por você' (I am sad for you/on your behalf).

Erro comum: 'Eu me entristeço sobre o filme.' Correto: 'Eu me entristeço com o filme.'

Lastly, don't over-use entristecer-se in very casual settings like a bar or a football match. If your team loses, saying 'Eu me entristeci imensamente' might sound a bit too dramatic or poetic. In those cases, 'Fiquei chateado' (I got upset/annoyed) or 'Fiquei triste' is much more appropriate. Use entristecer-se when the emotion has a bit more depth or when you want to sound more eloquent.

Portuguese is a language rich in emotional nuance, so entristecer-se has many 'cousins' that you can use depending on the specific flavor of sadness you want to convey. Knowing these alternatives will help you sound more like a native and allow you to describe feelings with greater precision. Some words imply a lighter sadness, while others suggest a deep, soul-crushing despair.

Ficar triste: The most common and neutral alternative. It literally means 'to stay/become sad.' Use this for 90% of daily interactions. Example: 'Fiquei triste porque perdi o ônibus.'
Abater-se: To become discouraged or 'downcast.' This implies a physical or mental loss of energy due to sadness. Example: 'Ele se abateu após a falência da empresa.'
Angustiar-se: To become anxious or distressed. This is a mix of sadness and worry/anguish. Example: 'Ela se angustia com o futuro do planeta.'

Enquanto entristecer-se é sobre a emoção, deprimir-se sugere um estado mais prolongado e sério.

If you are feeling a bit 'blue' or slightly annoyed, you might use chatear-se. In Brazil, 'ficar chateado' is extremely common for minor disappointments. If the sadness is specifically about missing someone or something, you would use the verb sentir saudades. For a more poetic or old-fashioned vibe, you might encounter penar (to suffer/to pine), though this is much less common in modern speech.

Magoar-se: To get hurt or offended. This is a sadness that comes from being wounded by someone's words or actions. Example: 'Não se magoe com o que ele disse.'

In summary, choose entristecer-se when you want to describe a genuine, somewhat formal, or deeply felt transition into sadness. It's a 'heavy' word in the best possible way—perfect for literature, serious news, or heart-to-heart conversations where you want to emphasize the impact of an event on your soul.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The suffix '-ecer' comes from the Latin '-escere', which is used to indicate a process that is beginning or evolving (like 'adolescence' - becoming an adult).

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ẽ.tɾis.te.ˈseɾ.sɨ/

US /ẽ.tɾis.te.ˈseʁ.si/

The stress is on the last syllable of the verb 'entristecer' (cer).

Rhymes With

esquecer-se aparecer-se reconhecer-se fortalecer-se amanhecer florescer adormecer envelhecer

Common Errors

Pronouncing the 'en' as 'en' like in English 'enter' (it should be a nasal vowel).
Forgetting the nasal sound on the first syllable.
Stressing the wrong syllable (it's not en-TRIS-te-cer).
Pronouncing the 's' in 'se' like a 'z' (it's always a soft 's' sound).
Missing the 'e' sound in the middle 'te' syllable.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to recognize because of the root 'triste'.

Writing 4/5

Difficult because of reflexive pronoun placement and conjugation.

Speaking 4/5

Hard to use naturally in conversation without defaulting to 'ficar triste'.

Listening 3/5

The nasal 'en' and the quick 'se' can be tricky to hear.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

triste estar ficar se (reflexive) notícia

Learn Next

alegrar-se magoar-se abater-se tristeza sentimento

Advanced

melancolia desolação inchoative verbs clitic placement rules

Grammar to Know

Reflexive pronoun placement (Proclisis, Enclisis, Mesoclisis)

Não **se** entristeça (Proclisis).

Inchoative verbs in -ecer

Amanhecer, envelhecer, entristecer.

Prepositional government (Regência Verbal)

Entristecer-se **com** algo.

Nasal vowels (en-)

Pronunciation of 'entristecer'.

Subjunctive mood for emotions

Sinto muito que você **se entristeça**.

Examples by Level

Eu me entristeço quando chove.

I get sad when it rains.

'Me' is the reflexive pronoun for 'Eu'.

Você se entristece com o filme?

Do you get sad with the movie?

'Se' is used for 'você'.

Ele se entristece muito fácil.

He gets sad very easily.

Reflexive verb 'se entristecer'.

Nós nos entristecemos com a notícia.

We get sad with the news.

'Nos' is for 'nós'.

Elas se entristecem no inverno.

They get sad in the winter.

Plural reflexive 'se'.

Não se entristeça, por favor.

Don't get sad, please.

Imperative form with 'não'.

Eu não me entristeço com isso.

I don't get sad about that.

Negative sentence: pronoun comes before the verb.

Ela se entristece com o fim do dia.

She gets sad with the end of the day.

Present tense third person.

Ontem, eu me entristeci com o resultado.

Yesterday, I became sad with the result.

Pretérito Perfeito (Past tense).

Eles se entristeceram com a partida do amigo.

They became sad with the friend's departure.

Past tense plural.

Por que você se entristeceu tanto?

Why did you become so sad?

Question in the past tense.

Ela se entristecia quando via as fotos antigas.

She used to get sad when she saw old photos.

Pretérito Imperfeito (Past habit).

Nós nos entristecemos ao ver a casa vazia.

We became sad upon seeing the empty house.

'Ao ver' (upon seeing).

O menino se entristeceu porque perdeu o brinquedo.

The boy became sad because he lost the toy.

Causal sentence in the past.

Vocês se entristeceram com a chuva no feriado?

Did you all get sad with the rain on the holiday?

Plural 'vocês' in the past.

Eu me entristeci, mas agora estou bem.

I became sad, but now I am fine.

Contrast between past and present.

Se ele souber, ele se entristecerá.

If he finds out, he will become sad.

Future tense (Futuro do Presente).

Duvido que ela se entristeça com isso.

I doubt that she will get sad about that.

Present Subjunctive after 'duvido que'.

Eu me entristeceria se você não viesse.

I would get sad if you didn't come.

Conditional tense (Futuro do Pretérito).

É importante que nós não nos entristeçamos.

It is important that we don't get sad.

Subjunctive mood for 'nós'.

Ela se entristecera antes mesmo da festa acabar.

She had become sad even before the party ended.

Pretérito Mais-que-perfeito (Pluperfect).

Caso você se entristeça, me ligue.

In case you get sad, call me.

Subjunctive after 'caso'.

Eles sempre se entristeciam no final do ano.

They always used to get sad at the end of the year.

Imperfect tense for recurring past action.

Embora se entristeça, ele continua trabalhando.

Although he gets sad, he keeps working.

Subjunctive after 'embora'.

O autor se entristece com a falta de leitura hoje em dia.

The author is saddened by the lack of reading nowadays.

Formal usage in a social context.

Não convém que nos entristeçamos por tão pouco.

It is not fitting that we should be saddened by so little.

Formal 'convém que' + subjunctive.

A população se entristeceu profundamente com a tragédia.

The population was deeply saddened by the tragedy.

Collective subject 'a população'.

Se tivéssemos perdido, ter-nos-íamos entristecido.

If we had lost, we would have been saddened.

Mesoclisis (European Portuguese style/Formal).

O jardim parece se entristecer no outono.

The garden seems to grow sad in autumn.

Personification/Metaphorical use.

Havia um medo de que o povo se entristecesse com a crise.

There was a fear that the people would get sad with the crisis.

Imperfect Subjunctive after 'medo de que'.

Ela se entristece ao ver o descaso com o meio ambiente.

She is saddened to see the neglect of the environment.

Expressing social concern.

Ele se entristecera, mas não quis demonstrar aos amigos.

He had become sad, but didn't want to show it to his friends.

Literary past tense (Mais-que-perfeito).

A alma entristece-se diante da efemeridade da vida.

The soul grows sad before the ephemerality of life.

Philosophical/Literary register.

Raramente se entristece quem vive em harmonia com a natureza.

He who lives in harmony with nature rarely grows sad.

Inverted sentence structure with 'quem'.

Entristecer-se é um processo inerente à condição humana.

Becoming sad is a process inherent to the human condition.

Infinitive used as a noun subject.

A cidade entristeceu-se com a partida de seus filhos ilustres.

The city grew sad with the departure of its illustrious sons.

Metonymy (the city for the people).

Não há por que se entristecer se o dever foi cumprido.

There is no reason to be saddened if the duty was fulfilled.

Complex 'por que' construction.

A medida que envelhecia, ele se entristecia com a solidão.

As he grew older, he grew sad with the loneliness.

Proportional conjunction 'à medida que'.

O fado faz com que o ouvinte se entristeça e se alegre ao mesmo tempo.

Fado makes the listener grow sad and happy at the same time.

Causative 'faz com que' + subjunctive.

Jamais me entristecerei por ter amado demais.

I will never be saddened for having loved too much.

Future tense with negative 'jamais'.

O crepúsculo parece entristecer-se na imensidão do horizonte.

The twilight seems to grow sad in the immensity of the horizon.

Highly poetic personification.

Quiçá se entristeça o fado se lhe faltar a voz da saudade.

Perhaps the fado will grow sad if it lacks the voice of longing.

Use of 'quiçá' (perhaps) and poetic inversion.

A narrativa entristece-se à medida que o protagonista se isola.

The narrative grows sad as the protagonist isolates himself.

Abstract subject (the narrative).

Não se entristeceria a história se os erros fossem evitados?

Would not history be saddened if errors were avoided?

Rhetorical question in the conditional.

O entristecer-se de um povo é o prelúdio de sua revolta.

The saddening of a people is the prelude to their revolt.

Substantivized infinitive (O entristecer-se).

Entristecer-se-ia o próprio tempo se pudesse contemplar sua fuga.

Time itself would be saddened if it could contemplate its flight.

Hypothetical conditional with mesoclisis.

A melancolia não é apenas entristecer-se, é habitar a própria tristeza.

Melancholy is not just becoming sad; it is inhabiting one's own sadness.

Defining philosophical nuances.

Sob a luz pálida da lua, a floresta parecia entristecer-se.

Under the pale moonlight, the forest seemed to grow sad.

Atmospheric literary description.

Common Collocations

entristecer-se com

entristecer-se por

entristecer-se profundamente

entristecer-se facilmente

entristecer-se à toa

entristecer-se com a notícia

entristecer-se com o tempo

entristecer-se ao ver

entristecer-se ao ouvir

entristecer-se de repente

Common Phrases

Não se entristeça!

— A common way to comfort someone. It means 'Don't get sad!'

Não se entristeça, tudo vai dar certo.

Entristecer-se por nada

— To get sad over something trivial or for no reason.

Ela tem o hábito de se entristecer por nada.

Me entristeço só de pensar

— Used to say that even the thought of something makes you sad.

Me entristeço só de pensar na despedida.

Se entristecer com o mundo

— To feel a general sadness about the state of world affairs.

Às vezes é impossível não se entristecer com o mundo.

Entristecer-se com a idade

— To become sad about the process of getting older.

Muitos se entristecem com a chegada da velhice.

Entristecer-se com a partida

— To be saddened by someone leaving or dying.

A cidade se entristeceu com a partida do médico.

Entristecer-se com o fracasso

— To become sad due to failing at something.

Ele não se entristeceu com o fracasso, ele aprendeu com ele.

Entristecer-se em silêncio

— To suffer or become sad without telling anyone.

Ela preferia se entristecer em silêncio do que reclamar.

Evitar se entristecer

— To try not to fall into a sad mood.

Tento evitar me entristecer com as notícias da TV.

Entristecer-se com a solidão

— To grow sad because one is alone.

O velho se entristecia com a solidão da casa grande.

Often Confused With

entristecer-se vs entristecer

Without the 'se', it means to make *someone else* sad. 'Você me entristece' (You make me sad).

entristecer-se vs ficar triste

This is the common way to say 'to get sad'. 'Entristecer-se' is just more formal.

entristecer-se vs entortar

Sounds slightly similar but means 'to bend' or 'to go crooked'.

Idioms & Expressions

"Entristecer o coração"

— To make the heart sad; used for things that cause deep emotional pain.

Ver aquela cena entristeceu meu coração.

poetic

"Cair em tristeza"

— To fall into sadness; similar to entristecer-se but more dramatic.

Após o divórcio, ele caiu em profunda tristeza.

literary

"Com o coração na mão"

— Used when someone is very sad or worried.

Ela ficou com o coração na mão ao ver o filho doente.

informal

"Verter lágrimas de tristeza"

— To shed tears of sadness.

Ele verteu lágrimas de tristeza ao ler o poema.

literary

"Estar com a alma partida"

— To have a broken soul/heart; extreme sadness.

Depois da notícia, ela estava com a alma partida.

poetic

"Afogar-se em mágoas"

— To drown in sorrows; to be overwhelmed by sadness.

Ele está se afogando em mágoas desde que perdeu o emprego.

metaphorical

"Ficar de luto"

— To be in mourning; can be used for the death of a person or a dream.

A nação ficou de luto com a perda do herói.

neutral

"Bater o desânimo"

— When sadness and lack of motivation hit someone.

Às vezes bate o desânimo e eu me entristeço.

informal

"Nuvem negra sobre a cabeça"

— To be in a very sad or pessimistic mood.

Ele anda com uma nuvem negra sobre a cabeça ultimamente.

informal

"Engolir o choro"

— To suppress the urge to cry when becoming sad.

Ele teve que engolir o choro para não se entristecer na frente de todos.

informal

Easily Confused

entristecer-se vs entristecer

Missing the reflexive pronoun.

Entristecer is transitive (affects others); entristecer-se is reflexive (affects the self).

O filme entristece as pessoas (The movie saddens people). Eu me entristeço (I get sad).

entristecer-se vs envelhecer

Same suffix -ecer.

Envelhecer means to grow old; entristecer-se means to grow sad.

Todos envelhecemos, mas nem todos nos entristecemos.

entristecer-se vs entardecer

Same structure en-...-ecer.

Entardecer means 'to become evening'.

Ao entardecer, eu me entristeço.

entristecer-se vs tristeza

Same root.

Tristeza is the noun (sadness); entristecer-se is the verb (to get sad).

A tristeza dele me faz entristecer-se.

entristecer-se vs magoar

Similar meaning.

Magoar implies being hurt by someone; entristecer-se is more general.

Ele me magoou, por isso me entristeci.

Sentence Patterns

Eu me entristeço com [noun].

Eu me entristeço com a chuva.

Ele se entristeceu por causa de [noun].

Ele se entristeceu por causa do jogo.

Se [subject] [verb], eu me entristeceria.

Se você fosse embora, eu me entristeceria.

É uma pena que [subject] se entristeça.

É uma pena que ela se entristeça tanto.

Ao [infinitive], o sujeito se entristeceu.

Ao ver a carta, o sujeito se entristeceu.

Entristecer-se-ia qualquer um que visse tal cena.

Eu não me entristeço com [noun].

Eu não me entristeço com críticas.

Nós nos entristecemos quando [verb].

Nós nos entristecemos quando perdemos.

Word Family

Nouns

tristeza (sadness)

entristecimento (the act of saddening)

tristura (archaic/poetic sadness)

Verbs

entristecer (to sadden someone)

entristecer-se (to become sad)

Adjectives

triste (sad)

entristecido (saddened)

tristonho (wistful/melancholy)

tristura

destristecer (rare: to stop being sad)

contristar (to sadden)

tristíssimo (very sad)

How to Use It

frequency

Moderate (High in literature/news, low in street slang).

Common Mistakes

Eu entristeci. → Eu me entristeci.
You forgot the reflexive pronoun. In Portuguese, you don't just 'sadden', you 'sadden yourself' (become sad).
Não entristeça-se. → Não se entristeça.
In negative sentences, the pronoun must come before the verb.
Estou entristecer. → Estou me entristecendo.
You cannot use the infinitive with 'estar' to mean 'I am getting sad'. You need the gerund (-endo) and the pronoun.
Me entristeço sobre a notícia. → Me entristeço com a notícia.
The verb 'entristecer-se' takes the preposition 'com', not 'sobre'.
Ele se entristece por a chuva. → Ele se entristece com a chuva.
'Com' is used for the cause/circumstance. 'Por' is usually used for people or motivations.

Tips

Reflexive Pronouns

Always match the pronoun to the person: Eu me, Tu te, Ele/Ela/Você se, Nós nos, Eles/Elas/Vocês se. This is the most common mistake for English speakers.

Sound More Natural

Use 'entristecer-se' when writing a letter of condolence or a formal essay. It shows you have a sophisticated vocabulary beyond basic words like 'triste'.

The -ecer Suffix

Notice that many Portuguese verbs ending in -ecer mean 'to become' something (envelhecer = to become old, escurecer = to become dark). This helps you guess meanings of new words!

Saudade Connection

In Portuguese culture, becoming sad (entristecer-se) is often seen as a poetic and deep experience, not just something negative to be avoided immediately.

Nasal Vowels

Practice the 'en-' sound. It's a key sound in Portuguese. Try saying 'entristecer' while holding your nose; it should feel different than 'ent' in English.

Preposition 'Com'

Always remember 'entristecer-se COM'. It's a fixed pair. Using 'sobre' (about) is a very common 'gringo' mistake.

Listen for the 'se'

In fast speech, 'se' can sound like a tiny 's' sound attached to the verb. Pay close attention to news anchors; they use this verb frequently.

Entrance to Sadness

Recall that 'EN-' can mean 'to enter'. You are entering (EN-) a state of 'TRISTE' (sadness).

Daily Feelings

At the end of the day, think: 'Eu me entristeci hoje?' (Did I get sad today?). This links the verb to your real life.

Negative Proclisis

In negative sentences, the 'não' acts like a magnet and pulls the 'se' to the front: 'Não se entristeça' (Correct) vs 'Não entristeça-se' (Incorrect).

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of the word 'ENTRance' and 'TRISTE'. You are ENTRing a TRISTE (sad) state. EN-TRISTE-CER.

Visual Association

Imagine a bright colorful heart slowly turning grey and blue as it 'enters' a cloud. This is the process of entristecer-se.

Word Web

triste tristeza entristecer entristecido tristemente magoar abater sofrer

Challenge

Try to write three sentences using 'entristecer-se' in different tenses (present, past, future) about a movie you've seen.

Word Origin

From the Latin 'tristis' (sad). The Portuguese verb is formed by the parasynthetic process: prefix 'en-' + adjective 'triste' + suffix '-ecer'.

Original meaning: To enter into a state of sadness.

Romance (Latin root).

Cultural Context

Be careful when using this verb in clinical contexts. While it describes getting sad, 'deprimir-se' is used for clinical depression. 'Entristecer-se' is for normal human emotions.

English speakers might find the reflexive 'se' strange, as we usually just say 'get sad.' It's important to realize that in Portuguese, emotions are often something you 'do' to yourself or that 'happen' to you reflexively.

'Tristeza não tem fim, felicidade sim' (Sadness has no end, happiness does) - a famous lyric by Vinicius de Moraes. Fernando Pessoa often wrote about the process of 'entristecer-se' in his poetry. Machado de Assis uses this verb to describe the psychological shifts of his complex characters.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Watching the news

Me entristeço com as notícias.
É impossível não se entristecer.
O mundo se entristece.

Personal relationships

Não se entristeça comigo.
Eu me entristeci com o que você disse.
Nós nos entristecemos com a briga.

Literature and Art

O personagem se entristece no final.
A música me faz entristecer.
O autor se entristeceu com a crítica.

Passing of time

Ela se entristece com o outono.
Muitos se entristecem ao envelhecer.
O fim das férias nos entristece.

Condolences

Entristeço-me com a sua perda.
Toda a família se entristece.
Não há palavras para não se entristecer.

Conversation Starters

"Você se entristece com facilidade?"

"O que faz você se entristecer mais?"

"Você se entristeceu com o final daquele livro?"

"É normal se entristecer quando chove?"

"Como você faz para não se entristecer com os problemas?"

Journal Prompts

Escreva sobre um momento em que você se entristeceu recentemente.

Por que as pessoas se entristecem com o sucesso dos outros?

Descreva uma paisagem que faz você se entristecer.

O que você faz quando percebe que está começando a se entristecer?

Você acha que é importante se entristecer às vezes?

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Yes, but mostly in writing, news, or formal speech. In daily life, Brazilians prefer 'ficar triste' or 'ficar chateado'. However, everyone understands 'entristecer-se' and it sounds very educated.

'Me entristeço' sounds more like a process or a deep internal change. 'Fico triste' is more about the state you end up in. It's like the difference between 'I grow sad' and 'I get sad'.

Yes, in a poetic sense. You can say 'A cidade se entristeceu' (The city grew sad). This is personification.

Usually 'com' (with/by). 'Me entristeço com a notícia'. Use 'por' for people: 'Me entristeço por você' (I feel sad for you).

Yes, it follows the regular -er conjugation pattern, but remember it's reflexive, so you need the pronouns (me, te, se, nos).

'Não se entristeça'. This uses the imperative mood.

Yes, but then it means 'to sadden someone'. For example: 'Sua atitude entristece seu pai' (Your attitude saddens your father).

Yes, 'entristecimento', but 'tristeza' is much more common for 'sadness'.

It's a nasal vowel. Don't pronounce the 'n' fully. It's like the 'an' in the French word 'enfant' but with an 'e' sound.

Absolutely. It is a key verb in Fado to describe the singer's or the listener's emotional journey.