happy
IPA: /ˈhæpɪ/
feeling or showing pleasure or contentment
English vocabulary by topic
Feelings and emotions in English
Words for describing your mood, responding to another person and explaining how an event affects you.
Go to the wordsTalking about feelings in English
Happy, sad, angry, worried and excited describe strong everyday feelings. Calm, tired, afraid, surprised, proud, bored and nervous help you explain moods and reactions more precisely.
Use an adjective directly after feel: I feel tired. Use be to state the condition: She is worried. When you add the cause, choose a natural preposition such as about, of or by for that adjective.
Vocabulary
Words in this topic
Use the speaker icon to hear each word in British English.
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sad
IPA: /sæd/
feeling unhappy or sorry
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angry
IPA: /ˈæŋɡrɪ/
feeling strong displeasure about something
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worried
IPA: /ˈwʌrɪd/
thinking that something bad may happen
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excited
IPA: /ɪkˈsaɪtɪd/
feeling very happy and interested about something
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calm
IPA: /kɑːm/
relaxed and not worried or angry
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tired
IPA: /ˈtaɪəd/
needing rest or sleep
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afraid
IPA: /əˈfreɪd/
feeling fear or worry about something
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surprised
IPA: /səprˈaɪzd/
feeling surprise because something was unexpected
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proud
IPA: /praʊd/
pleased about an achievement or someone you value
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bored
IPA: /bɔːd/
uninterested because there is nothing enjoyable to do
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nervous
IPA: /ˈnɜːvəs/
worried or slightly afraid about what may happen
01
How to remember these words
- Make contrasting pairs such as happy — sad and calm — nervous.
- Connect every adjective with a real situation from your life.
- Practise two patterns together: I feel excited and I am excited.
02
Useful phrases
I feel tired, but I am happy.
She is worried about tomorrow’s exam.
We are excited about our trip.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
Should I use feel or be with an emotion adjective?
Feel emphasises your inner experience: I feel nervous. Be simply states the condition: I am nervous. Both are natural in many everyday situations.
What is the difference between bored and boring?
Bored describes the person who feels no interest. Boring describes the thing that causes that feeling: I am bored, but the film is boring.
Which preposition follows worried and excited?
Use about for the cause in common phrases such as worried about the result and excited about the holiday.
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