What's the difference between "feliz" and "contento" if they both are translated as "happy"?

Question

When I was watching 1.11 Ser vs. Estar, it translates "Estamos contentos" as "We are happy." Why not be translated as "We are contented"? So, any difference between the two kinds of "being happy"? Also, I copy what I have read from someone said in this forum: " Most native speakers use "contento" with "estar", and several have told me that it that it is proper to say: "soy feliz" or "estoy contento" but not "soy contento" or "estoy feliz"." Is that true?

Answer 1

Good question. I did a little research and this is what I found.

The short version:

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=394643

One way of seeing the different nuance of the words is translating Feliz as happy and Contento as pleased. This will give you similar connotation in English.

I think this is the best explanation, although it's in Spanish.

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=778438

Ahí va mi opinión. Yo creo que "alegre" es un poquito diferente a "contento" y bastante diferente a "feliz", porque normalmente implica una manifestación exterior del sentimiento. Tambien creo que hay una sutil diferencia entre la alegría y la felicidad...yo creo que se puede ser alegre y no ser feliz. La felicidad me parece "más grande" que la alegría.

También hay que distinguir entre "ser" y "estar". Ser, conlleva cualidades o estados más bien permanentes. Estar, es más temporal, momentáneo.

Así, en resumen:

1.- "Estar contento" es, sin duda, lo más usado.

2.- "Estar alegre" es muy parecido a "estar contento" pero yo le añadiría el demostrarlo, porque creo que se puede estar contento sin estar alegre...De todos modos, me parece más el módo en el que te ven desde fuera...Yo personalmente jamás diría "estoy alegre" por muy contento que estuviera. Dicho de otro modo: tú estás muy contento, ¿ok?; entonces, si lo demuestras, los demás te vemos muy contento/muy alegre.

3.- "Estar feliz"...es igual que "ser feliz" pero solo durante un periodo de tiempo. Me parece más intenso que los anteriores.

4.- "Ser contento"...no existe.

5.- "Ser alegre" es una característica constante de la persona. Estar siempre riendo o sonriendo. Estar siempre de buen humor...

6.- "Ser feliz"...es lo máximo. Es lo más grande.

Dicho esto, lo cierto es que en la realidad, casi todos los conceptos se mezclan bastante, por cortesía, por exageración... Yo, en inglés, preferiría utilizar el "glad" o algún adjetivo similiar para contento o alegre, y dejar el "happy" para cosas más grandes o momentos más intensos...pero claro...yo no hago las reglas

Hi, rodneyp, many thanks for finding more explanation for me. I can understand the short version, not the Spanish version because my Spanish is not good enough yet! Could you explain more in English? - joygogo, Mar 13, 2013

joygogo, see my new post. - rodneyp, Mar 13, 2013

Answer 2

OK, Let me try and summarize this in English. Let's start with trying to define the 3.

• Alegre - I think this is more like joy or joyful. If you're talking about a person it would be someone who is generally cheerful all the time.

  Contento - I think this almost directly relates to content in English.

  Feliz - Happy, as being happy with ones life, or happy in a marriage.

Now here comes my translation attempt. Keep in mind this isn't an exact translation, I'm just trying to capture the major points.

There's a small difference between alegre and feliz.

There's a significant difference between contento and feliz.

There's a subtle difference between la alegria and la felicidad.

You can be alegre and not feliz.

La felicidad is "bigger" than la alegria.

You also have to take ser and estar into account.

1. Estar contento, without a doubt is the most used

2. Estar alegre is very close to estar contento and represents how you look on the outside. People see you as happy or joyful

3. Estar feliz is the same as ser feliz, but only for a given time period. In other words, I'm really happy right now, but that could change later. (this last sentence is mine, not part of the original text)

4. Ser contento doesn't exist. Meaning nobody ever says this, it doesn't make sense.

5. Ser alegre is to cheerful all the time, someone who has a constant smile, always in a good mood, always laughing

6. Ser feliz is the maximum level of happiness.

That said, in reality they all mix together, with glad being similar to contento or alegre, and happy being stronger for more intense moments.

The original text is in my earlier post. It wouldn't format properly so I took it out.

And native speakers plese chip in because I'm far from an expert. - rodneyp, Mar 13, 2013

Hello, rodneyp! It's so nice of you to do me such a big favor. I really appreciate it! I haven't learned "alegre", " la alegria" and "la felicidad" yet, but the information you offered will be very useful for me in the future. Thanks again. - joygogo, Mar 14, 2013