"To space out"

Question

How can I translate the meaning of "spacing out" without having to use the same word/feeling of "Daydream"?

Daydream seems more fantastic, something... kind of fairy-tale like. (Like a song in any Disney movie). I'm looking for something that relates to an evasion maneuver, to avoid a reality, or just losing yourself in your thoughts without implying happiness.

(It's for a psychology/communication essay I'm translating)

Thank you!

Do you mean when your eyes gloss over and you "tune out"? - 0074b507, Jul 15, 2010

Answer 1

I wonder if "to zone out/space out" might be able to be translated as one of the following

(su mente) Parecer estar en otra parte

Estar despistado

Estar (muy) distraído

Estar en la luna

Estar en las nubes

Answer 2

Hola Maddersky,

quizás puedes usar:

distanciarse de algo (= to distance yourself from something) ???

o para evadirse de la realidad

( estaba buscando para la palabra Detached para ti)

avadirse de la realidad...me parece perfecto feliz, voting - 00494d19, Jul 15, 2010

Gracias, Heidita :) - FELIZ77, Jul 15, 2010

Answer 3

There´s a transitive verb "espaciar". Well spaced out - bastante espaciados.

Answer 4

I would say acting up is behaving badly, inclusive of many things including tantrums. Acting out is a more specialized psychiatric/psychotherapy jargon.

Answer 5

How about: desconectarse? or maybe: distraerse?

Answer 6

Hola madden, quizás..

evadirse???

Answer 7

Estar en otra dimensión/onda. Usually expressed without the noun:

"Estoy en otra" I'm a little "spaced out". To convey the feeling of being detached.

geast shelly - 00494d19, Jul 15, 2010

Answer 8

It doesn't? I thought it did.

Is "acting up" the same as "acting out"?

"acting up"..... for things (El coche me está dando lata). "acting out" ... for people (Le está saliendo su mal caracter) - 005faa61, Jul 16, 2010

Answer 9

I guess 'estar en las nubes' would be a bit too colloquial too?

How about 'colgado'?

For the other quesitons do you mean: To act 'up'. - Portarse mal.

or even 'to vent your feelings' - desfogar or desahogar

As far as I'm aware acting 'out' your feelings doesn't carry the meaning of having a tantrum.

Hope that helps

Answer 10

Detached! That's a nice feeling for what I'm trying to say.

I would like to use "estar en otra onda", but I can't use colloquial language; it has to be something more formal. I guess I'll work around "adentrarse en los pensamientos" or "separarse de sí mismo", something along those lines.

Thank you!

And how about "acting out your feelings", implying a tantrum?