inquietar

Inquietar is a Spanish verb meaning to cause someone to feel anxious, unsettled, or disturbed, or to disturb one’s peace of mind. It is transitive, typically used with a person or group as the direct object, and can express a range from mild concern to strong anxiety depending on the context. The verb can also be used intransitively in reflexive form, inquietarse, to become worried or restless.

Etymology and related forms: Inquietar derives from inquieto, the adjective meaning uneasy or restless, which in turn comes from Latin inquietus. Related nouns include inquietud (restlessness, anxiety) and the passive or stative forms are built from the same root. The verb forms follow the regular -ar conjugation pattern in Spanish, with the past participle inquietado and the gerund inquietando.

Conjugation and usage notes: As a regular -ar verb, inquietar follows standard endings for its tenses and moods. Present indicative forms include yo inquieto, tú inquietas, él inquieta, nosotros inquietamos, vosotros inquietáis, ellos inquietan. The past participle is inquietado, and the gerund is inquietando. The imperative forms are: tú inquieta, usted inquiete, nosotros inquietemos, vosotros inquietad, ustedes inquieten. The reflexive form inquietarse means to become unsettled or worried, as in Me inquieto ante la noticia or No te inquietes demasiado.

Examples: La noticia inquietó al barrio. Me inquieta pensar en las consecuencias. No te inquietes; todo va a estar bien. Inquietar, therefore, is a versatile verb used to describe the act of causing anxiety or unease, as well as the process of becoming unsettled through reflexive use.