How do you say “Under the weather” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is No encontrarse bien, which literally means “Not to find oneself well”. English speakers use under the weather to mean slightly ill or not feeling well. A natural, gentle way to say someone feels unwell. It does not specify the illness; “no sentirse bien” is another broadly useful choice. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
No encontrarse bien
/no eŋkonˈtɾaɾse bjen/
- Literal meaning
- “Not to find oneself well”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
89 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
English hints at illness with a weather image. Spanish often says directly that the person does not feel well.
The Spanish is just as discreet, though less colourful. “Estar un poco pachucho” adds a casual sense of being mildly ill, especially in Spain.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone3 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in Spanish?
No sentirse bien
Literally: “Not to feel oneself well”
A direct option across Spanish-speaking regions.
Estar un poco pachucho
Literally: “To be a little poorly”
Informal and particularly associated with Spain, for feeling mildly ill.
Common translation traps
Estar bajo el tiempo
This copies the English weather image without conveying that someone feels unwell.
The notes above explain why these versions do not work in this context in Spanish.
In context
English
I’m a bit under the weather today.
Spanish
Hoy no me encuentro muy bien.
English
She’s under the weather, so she’s staying home.
Spanish
No se siente bien, así que se queda en casa.
Related expressions
- What “Under the weather” means in English
- Call it a day, To stop for the day, or stop altogether.
Last updated 2026-09-13