"I am worried about..."

Sometimes we think that something bad is going to happen in the future or we think something bad has already happened.

Here are ten ways to say you're worried in English.

Ten ways to say "I am worried about..."

casual · neutral · formal

I'm (so) worried about...neutralI'm so worried about my exam results.
I'm afraid...neutralI'm afraid the shop will be closed when we get there.
I can't help thinking...neutralI can't help thinking something is wrong.
I can't stop thinking about it.neutralThe interview is tomorrow. I can't stop thinking about it.
I've been worried sick about...casualstrongYou didn't call! I've been worried sick about you.
It's been keeping me awake at night.neutralThe loan has been keeping me awake at night.
I'm scared stiff / to death that...casualstrongI'm scared stiff that the bridge will break.
I'm really nervous.neutralIt's my first day at work. I'm really nervous.
I've got butterflies in my stomach.casualBefore the speech, I've got butterflies in my stomach.
I'm absolutely dreading...neutralstrongI'm absolutely dreading the dentist tomorrow.

How to use them

We follow with a noun, noun phrase or a gerund (-ing form).
We follow 2, 3, 7 with a sentence or clause saying what we think will happen. e.g I'm afraid he'll find out what happened.
is a general statement of worry or concern. The word "so" makes the statement much stronger.
are saying that the person is always thinking about the problem.
are saying that the person is worried now and that they have been feeling it for a long time before.
are saying the person is worried about something that is going to happen and also is worried about their ability to manage the situation.
is saying that something unavoidable is going to happen and the speaker is really not looking forward to it.

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See also: Reassuring someone · Showing concern · "I feel relieved"

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