ESEN
Which one to use?Intermediateadjetivoadjetivo
JealousvsEnvious
"Jealous" = fear of losing something you already have; "envious" = wanting something someone else has.
Side-by-side comparison
Jealous
adjetivo"Jealous" is the fear of losing something you already have or feel is yours: a partner, attention, a position. There is an element of possession and perceived threat.
She felt jealous when her partner spent more time with colleagues than with her.
He became jealous of the attention his new baby sister was getting from their parents.
Ancient gods were often portrayed as jealous of human achievements that challenged divine authority.
Envious
adjetivo"Envious" is the desire to have what someone else has: their success, their possessions, their talent. It does not imply having anything yourself; it is wanting what the other person has.
She was envious of her colleague's promotion, she had worked just as hard but been passed over.
He was envious of his neighbor's new car and started saving up to buy a similar one.
I am truly envious of people who can sleep anywhere, on planes, in waiting rooms, anywhere.
Common mistake
- •"Jealous" = jealousy (you have something and fear losing it).
- •"Envious" = envy (they have something you want).
- •In everyday speech "jealous" covers both meanings, but in formal writing maintain the distinction.
Trick to remember it
- •In this feeling, do you have something you could lose? "Jealous".
- •Do you want something someone else has without having anything to lose yourself? "Envious".
Quick rule
- •"Jealous" = jealousy (you have something and fear losing it).
- •"Envious" = envy (they have something you want).
Did you know?
"Jealous" and "zealous" (fervent, passionately devoted) come from the same Greek root "zelos" (fervor, competitive ardor). In Biblical Hebrew, the same root describes a "jealous God" (El Qanna), a god who guards with fervor the devotion of his believers and does not tolerate worship of others. The seven deadly sins clearly distinguished between "envy" (wanting what belongs to another) and wrath mixed with pride (which included jealousy). In modern philosophy, Bertrand Russell in "The Conquest of Happiness" (1930) argued that envy is "the most unfortunate of all passions" because it combines desire for what others have with resentment of those who have it, an inexhaustible source of unhappiness.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She was _____ of her sister's new car. She wished she had one too.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
He gets very _____ when his girlfriend talks to other men. He doesn't trust her.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
BoredvsBoring
One describes how you feel, the other describes what causes that feeling.
DisinterestedvsUninterested
"Disinterested" = impartial, with no personal stake; "uninterested" = bored or not interested in something.
AbovevsOver
"Above" is at a higher level without contact; "over" implies covering, movement, or crossing.
ActuallyvsReally
"Actually" corrects or contrasts an assumption; "really" intensifies or confirms.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy