Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate
How to Say Moan in Spanish: Gemir
Gemir · verb · heh-MEER
Moan in Spanish is gemir for the sound of pain or distress, or quejarse when it means to complain or grumble.
Gemir is heh-MEER, with the g making a soft h sound before e.
El paciente gemía de dolor mientras esperaba al doctor.
The patient moaned in pain while waiting for the doctor.
Moan in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for moan, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| gemir | moan | heh-MEER | Default, widely understood |
| quejarse | moan | to moan as in complain | |
| gemido | moan | noun form: a moan |
How Native Speakers Use Gemir
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Pain expression
La mujer gemía mientras le curaban la herida.
The woman moaned while they treated her wound.
Physical pain context.
Complaining
Deja de quejarte por todo, siempre estás igual.
Stop moaning about everything, you're always the same.
British English sense of moaning = complaining.
Wind sound
El viento gemía entre los árboles toda la noche.
The wind moaned through the trees all night.
Literary personification.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Gemir
Irregular conjugation
Incorrect: Él geme de dolor.
Correct: Él gime de dolor.
Gemir is an e>i stem-changing verb: gimo, gimes, gime, gemimos, gimen.
Confusing gemir with gritar
Incorrect: Ella gritó suavemente de dolor.
Correct: Ella gimió suavemente de dolor.
Gritar means to shout loudly; gemir is a softer sound of distress.
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See Gemir used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Moan in Spanish
- How do you say moan in Spanish?
- The verb is gemir (heh-MEER) for making a sound of pain or distress, and the noun form is gemido.
- Is gemir a stem-changing verb?
- Gemir changes e to i in stressed syllables—present tense forms are gimo, gimes, gime, gemimos, gemís, gimen.
- How do you say stop moaning (complaining)?
- When moan means complain, use deja de quejarte (informal) or deje de quejarse (formal) to tell someone to stop moaning.