Let's learn about feelings!

Feelings are the colors that paint our lives, helping us navigate through the ups and downs of daily experiences. From the warmth of happiness to the chill of fear, understanding and expressing emotions is key to building strong relationships and feeling confident in ourselves.

Learning the vocabulary of feelings empowers children to talk about what’s happening inside them and to understand the emotions of others, making communication richer and more meaningful.

Let’s jump into the vocabulary of feelings and learn how to describe them!

Feelings vocabulary list in English

Feelings are complex, but learning to identify and name them can be very empowering for children. The following feelings-related words are part of the Studycat Learn English app for kids, designed to make learning about emotions both engaging and insightful.

Here’s a list of common feelings along with a brief description of each:

happy

Feeling or showing pleasure or contentment. “She felt happy when she saw her friend at the park.”

sad

Feeling or showing sorrow; unhappy. “He was sad after losing his favorite toy.”

bored

Feeling weary and impatient because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one’s current activity. “She got bored during the long drive.”

excited

Feeling or showing happiness and enthusiasm. “They were excited about going to the amusement park.”

angry

Feeling or showing strong annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. “He became angry when he couldn’t find his shoes.”

scared

Feeling frightened; afraid. “She was scared to check under the bed at night.”

Positive feelings vocabulary in English

Positive feelings are emotions that make us feel good and uplift our spirits. These feelings are often associated with happiness, contentment, and enthusiasm.

• happy Feeling or showing pleasure or contentment. “She felt happy when she saw her friend at the park.”
• excited Feeling or showing happiness and enthusiasm. “They were excited about going to the amusement park.”
• proud Feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one’s own achievements. “He felt proud when he received his award.”
• grateful Feeling or showing an appreciation for something received. “She was grateful for the help her friend gave her.”
• loved Feeling affectionate and cared for. “He felt loved when his family surprised him with a party.”
• joyful Feeling, expressing, or causing great pleasure and happiness. “The children were joyful during the holiday celebrations.”
• content A state of peaceful happiness. “She was content to sit by the fire and read her book.”
• hopeful Feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event. “He was hopeful that the weather would be nice for the picnic.”
• relaxed Free from tension and anxiety. “She felt relaxed after the yoga session.”
• amused Finding something funny or entertaining. “He was amused by the funny clown at the circus.”

Negative feelings vocabulary in English

Negative feelings are emotions that can make us feel bad or uncomfortable. Learning to recognize these feelings is important for understanding how to cope with them and finding ways to feel better.

• sad Feeling or showing sorrow; unhappy. “He was sad after losing his favorite toy.”
• angry Feeling or showing strong annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. “He became angry when he couldn’t find his shoes.”
• scared Feeling frightened; afraid. “She was scared to check under the bed at night.”
• bored Feeling weary and impatient because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one’s current activity. “She got bored during the long drive.”
• frustrated Feeling annoyed or upset because of an inability to change or achieve something. “He was frustrated when his toy broke.”
• disappointed Feeling sad or displeased because someone or something has not fulfilled one’s hopes or expectations. “She was disappointed when the trip was canceled.”
• nervous Feeling worried or anxious, especially about something that is going to happen. “He was nervous before his big performance.”
• lonely Feeling sad because one has no company. “She felt lonely when her best friend moved away.”
• jealous Feeling or showing envy of someone’s achievements or advantages. “He felt jealous when his friend got a new bike.”
• guilty Feeling responsible for or regretting a perceived wrongdoing. “She felt guilty after breaking the vase.”

Complex feelings vocabulary

Complex feelings involve a mix of emotions that can be more difficult to identify or describe. These feelings often occur in challenging situations and require careful thought to understand.

• confused Unable to think clearly or to understand something. “He felt confused by the complicated instructions.”
• embarrassed Feeling self-conscious or awkward, typically in a social situation. “She was embarrassed when she tripped in front of everyone.”
• anxious Experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. “He was anxious about his upcoming exams.”
• overwhelmed Feeling as though one has too much to deal with or is unable to cope. “She felt overwhelmed by the amount of homework she had.”
• curious Eager to know or learn something. “He was curious about how the magician performed his tricks.”
• surprised Feeling or showing sudden shock or amazement. “She was surprised when her friends threw her a birthday party.”
• relieved Feeling reassured and relaxed after a period of anxiety. “He felt relieved when he found his lost keys.”
• insecure Not confident or assured; uncertain and anxious. “She felt insecure about speaking in front of the class.”
• ashamed Feeling embarrassed or guilty because of one’s actions or characteristics. “He felt ashamed after telling a lie.”
• worried Anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems. “She was worried about the storm.”

Expressive feelings vocabulary

Expressive feelings are emotions that we often show outwardly through our facial expressions, body language, or voice. Recognizing and describing these feelings helps in understanding how we and others communicate emotions.

• surprised Feeling or showing sudden shock or amazement. “She was surprised when her friends threw her a birthday party.”
• embarrassed Feeling self-conscious or awkward, typically in a social situation. “He was embarrassed when he forgot his lines in the play.”
• confident Feeling or showing certainty about something. “She felt confident before her big test.”
• curious Eager to know or learn something. “He was curious about how the magic trick worked.”
• proud Feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one’s achievements. “She was proud of her accomplishment in the art contest.”
• jealous Feeling or showing envy of someone’s achievements or advantages. “He was jealous when his friend got a new toy.”
• relieved Feeling reassured and relaxed after a period of anxiety. “She was relieved after finishing her presentation.”
• amused Finding something funny or entertaining. “He was amused by the jokes at the comedy show.”
• hopeful Feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event. “She was hopeful about getting good news.”
• inspired Feeling motivated to do something creative or beneficial. “He felt inspired to write a story after visiting the museum.”

Social feelings vocabulary

Social feelings are emotions we experience in our interactions with others. These feelings help us understand our relationships and the impact of our actions on others.

• grateful Feeling or showing appreciation for something received. “She was grateful for the help her friend gave her.”
• loved Feeling affectionate and cared for. “He felt loved when his family gave him a hug.”
• respected Feeling or showing admiration for someone or something. “She felt respected when her ideas were listened to in class.”
• included Feeling part of a group or activity. “He felt included when his friends invited him to play.”
• excluded Feeling left out of a group or activity. “She felt excluded when the others didn’t ask her to join the game.”
• trusting Feeling confident in someone’s reliability or truth. “He was trusting of his friend’s advice.”
• supportive Feeling encouraged and assisted by others. “She felt supportive when she helped her friend with a project.”
• envy Feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or luck. “He felt envy when his friend won the race.”
• betrayed Feeling of being deceived or let down by someone trusted. “She felt betrayed when her secret was shared without permission.”
• connected Feeling close to others, often emotionally. “He felt connected to his family during the holiday gathering.”

Learning to recognize and express these feelings helps children manage their emotions and communicate more effectively.

How to learn and remember feelings

Understanding emotions isn’t just academic; it’s a key part of emotional development. Here are some engaging ways to help children learn and remember different feelings:

• feelings chart: use a feelings chart with faces depicting different emotions. Discuss what might make someone feel each way.
• role-playing games: act out various scenarios that might elicit different feelings. This helps children understand the context for certain emotions.
• storytime emotions: read stories and discuss the characters’ feelings, asking children to identify and explain them.
• drawing feelings: have children draw faces showing different emotions and talk about times they have felt those emotions.
• music and emotions: play songs that convey different moods and discuss how music can make us feel different emotions.

As we conclude our exploration of feelings, remember that each emotion is a natural part of human experience. With Studycat’s interactive methods, learning about feelings becomes an important step towards emotional literacy.

Until our next emotional adventure, keep expressing and exploring the wide range of feelings in your colorful emotional world!