Feelings & needs vocabulary
Fights are often not about "whose fault" but about unheard feelings and unspoken needs. Nonviolent Communication (M. Rosenberg) offers a simple frame: observation → feeling → need → request. Below is a vocabulary to help you name what's inside and build a gentle line.
Build your sentence
Feelings when needs are met
calm · joy · warmth · gratitude · tenderness · curiosity · inspiration · peace · hope · trust · ease · pride in us · safety · love
Feelings when needs are unmet
lonely · anxious · hurt · irritated · sad · tired · disappointed · jealous · afraid · helpless · ashamed · empty · tense · yearning
Needs (universal)
closeness · to be heard · respect · safety · trust · support · recognition · freedom · rest · clarity · fairness · tenderness · acceptance · meaning · belonging · honesty
The rule is simple: speak about your own feelings and needs, not your partner's flaws. "I feel lonely, I need closeness" lands very differently from "you ignore me".