Cool MateFeeling vs How you feel vs Mood
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Feeling
Top 1,000 (very common)A1noun
How you feel
Top 2,000 (common)
Mood
Top 1,000 (very common)B1noun
| Feeling | How you feel | Mood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈfiːlɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfiːlɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //haʊ jʊ fiːl//🇺🇸 //haʊ jʊ fil// | 🇬🇧 /["/muːd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/muːd/"]/ |
| Meaning | An emotion or state of mind. | your emotions or feelings | A feeling or state of mind. |
| Example | I have a good feeling about this project. | How do you feel about the new changes at work? | She always seems to be in a cheerful mood during the summer. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - | B1 |
| Part of speech | noun | noun | |
| Collocations | strong, overwhelming, definite, experience, feel, get, come over somebody, creep over somebody, be mutual, feeling about, feeling of, deep, intense, strong, experience, harbour/harbor, have, sweep over somebody, wash over somebody, well up inside somebody, feeling about, feeling for, feeling of, no hard feelings, deep, intense, strong, experience, harbour/harbor, have, sweep over somebody, wash over somebody, well up inside somebody, feeling about, feeling for, feeling of, no hard feelings, deep, intense, strong, experience, harbour/harbor, have, sweep over somebody, wash over somebody, well up inside somebody, feeling about, feeling for, feeling of, no hard feelings, strong, overwhelming, definite, experience, feel, get, come over somebody, creep over somebody, be mutual, feeling about, feeling of, great, wonderful, genuine, have, develop, with feeling, feeling for, lose, regain, feeling in, great, wonderful, genuine, have, develop, with feeling, feeling for, create, recreate, feeling of | how you feel about, how you feel today, how you feel inside | cheerful, cheery, good, be in, get somebody in, put somebody in, change, shift, become…, change, swing, state, be in no mood for something, a change of mood, when the mood strikes you, cheerful, cheery, good, be in, get somebody in, put somebody in, change, shift, become…, change, swing, state, be in no mood for something, a change of mood, when the mood strikes you, cheerful, cheery, good, be in, get somebody in, put somebody in, change, shift, become…, change, swing, state, be in no mood for something, a change of mood, when the mood strikes you |
| Antonyms | apathy, indifference, detachment | how you think, what you believe, your thoughts, your ideas | cheer, happiness |
| Common mistakes | Confusing 'feeling' with 'sense' in non-emotional contexts., Using 'feeling' as a countable noun (e.g., saying 'a feeling' when referring to a general emotion)., Omitting the gerund form when discussing ongoing emotions (e.g., 'I am feeling happy' vs. 'I feel happy'). | Using it as a statement instead of a question., Confusing it with physical states like 'how are you' instead of emotional states. | Confusing 'mood' with 'moodiness' or 'mood swings'., Using 'mood' as a verb., Mixing up 'mood' with 'tone' in discussions about writing. |
| Usage notes | Use 'feeling' to express emotions or physical sensations. It's suitable for everyday conversations but may sound vague in formal writing. In specific contexts, you might use more precise terms for emotions. | Use in casual conversations to ask someone about their emotional state. Avoid in formal writing. | Use 'mood' to describe how someone feels at a specific time. It works well in both casual and formal settings, but be careful not to confuse it with 'emotion'. |
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Frequently asked questions: Feeling vs How you feel vs Mood
What's the difference between Feeling, How you feel, and Mood?
Feeling: An emotion or state of mind. How you feel: your emotions or feelings Mood: A feeling or state of mind.
Which is more advanced: Feeling, How you feel, and Mood?
Mood is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.
Can you show an example of each?
Feeling: I have a good feeling about this project. How you feel: How do you feel about the new changes at work? Mood: She always seems to be in a cheerful mood during the summer.
Can I use Feeling, How you feel, and Mood interchangeably?
Not always. Feeling, How you feel, and Mood are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.