Problem Vs Trouble
This is the first time that I ask anything in spanishdict, but I'm really confused with the differences between both words. What's the difference between problem and trouble?.
4 Answers
The difference is quite complicated but I will give you some examples in the hope that you will gain something from them.
Trouble is more connected to negative feelings than solutions.
You cannot use the indefinite article a with the word trouble but you can use the definite article the.
Ejemplos:-
If you do that again you will be in trouble.
I will be in trouble if I’m late.
He is inviting trouble by behaving badly.
She has never been in trouble with the police.
If you have trouble reading this, please move closer.
I'm sorry to cause so much trouble.
Don’t worry, it’s no trouble.
That boy is trouble.
Trouble erupted when some of the fans ran onto the pitch.
The trouble with this idea is that ……………….
I think that the word problem is used more than trouble. In my mind a problem is a difficulty that needs a solution.
Ejemplos:-
Is there a problem with the printer?
There's a problem with the internet connection
There are 3 major problems with this idea.
You can have a problem with your car, computer, wi-fi, boss, children etc.
Problems can belong to people, so you can say that it is:-
your problem, their problem, my problem, his problem.
And as my father often said:- A problem is only a problem if you accept it as a problem.
They are often interchangeable amigo.
We’re having trouble / problems with our car. / El coche nos está dando problemas.
He had no trouble / problems doing it. / Lo hizo sin ningún problema.
If we’re late, there’ll be trouble. / Si llegamos tarde, tendremos problemas.
That’s just the trouble / problem. / Ese es precisamente el problema.
BUT - a problem is not always troubling. (the word probling - does not exist)
One can have a mathematical problem to solve - but in normal language not a mathematical trouble.
It's no trouble/ (hassle) to answer a question from you Txtaboy, feel free to come to us with any little problem you might have.
No es ninguna molestia responder a una pregunta tuya, Txta, eres bienvenido con cualquier problema menor que te occurra.
I hadn't realised the difficulties between trouble and problem. As a native I instinctively know which sounds better and when one sounds wrong.
I remember when learning Spanish words of change eg quedarse/hacerse/volverse/ponerse although we were taught some rules our teacher said we were better to just learn some phrases.
I think of 'trouble' as describing a collection of worries or problems and a problem as something more clear cut.
eg I am having trouble with my computer. What's the problem? It is just running slow. Perhaps you have a problem with the memory.
As I typed the above it dawned on me that friends often start a conversation by explaining they are having trouble yet the response is 'what's the problem?'
Here is a Spanish website with some answers: español
and here is an answer from the BBC
why not try some sentences out and we will correct. You could put the Spanish as well so we can learn too.
