ansioso
adjectiveCEFR B2
What does “ansioso” mean in English?
1.anxious — in a state of nervous worry or anticipation
anxious — in a state of nervous worry or anticipation (estar ansioso = to be anxious right now)
2.eager, keen
eager, keen (showing impatience or strong desire; estoy ansioso por saber los resultados)
Example sentences
Los estudiantes estaban muy ansiosos antes de conocer los resultados del examen de ingreso.
The students were very anxious before finding out the results of the entrance exam.
Desde pequeño ha sido muy ansioso; cualquier cambio de rutina le genera una tensión desproporcionada.
He has been very anxious since childhood; any change in routine causes him disproportionate tension.
El equipo está ansioso por demostrar que las críticas recibidas estaban injustificadas.
The team is eager to show that the criticism they received was unjustified.
How to use it
Ansioso/a means 'anxious' — in a state of worry or nervous anticipation. Key ser vs estar distinction: 'ser ansioso' = to be an anxious person by nature (character trait); 'estar ansioso' = to be anxious right now (emotional state). Both are common at B2. Ansioso can also mean eagerly anticipating something (anxious to): estar ansioso por + infinitive = to be eager/anxious to do something. Do not confuse with ansioso de/por (eager for) vs angustiado (distressed) — ansioso is milder and covers both nervous anticipation and eager desire.
Common mistake
Ansioso covers both 'anxious' (nervous worry) and 'eager' (positive anticipation), unlike English which distinguishes these clearly. Context and the presence of por + infinitive help determine which sense is active. For clinical anxiety, nervioso or with more precision angustiado or con ansiedad are used — ansioso is colloquial and broad. Ser vs estar: if you mean the person is generally an anxious type, use ser; for a current state, use estar.