What does it mean word for word?
The word me is the direct or indirect object pronoun meaning "me", and avergonzó is the third-person singular past tense of avergonzar. Literally, it translates to "it/he/she embarrassed me".
Which one should you use?
A very common alternative way to express feeling embarrassed is using the phrase me dio vergüenza, which means "it gave me shame / it made me feel embarrassed".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase Me dio un corte. is commonly used to mean "I got embarrassed."
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the preterite tense, indicating a completed action in the past. If you want to say "you embarrassed me" (informal), you change the verb ending to me avergonzaste. If the subject is plural (e.g., "they embarrassed me"), the verb changes to me avergonzaron.
How do you pronounce it?
/me abeɾɡonθo/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the concept of vergüenza is tied to the 'honor' of the family, meaning me avergonzó can sometimes imply a breach of family reputation rather than just a personal blunder.
- The root of avergonzó is vergüenza, which comes from the Latin verecundia, meaning 'modesty' or 'respect'. In its original sense, the feeling was not about social awkwardness but about a virtuous sense of propriety.
- While 'embarrassed' covers many feelings in English, Spanish speakers use bochorno to describe a specific type of humiliation that feels like a wave of heat.
Examples in context
- Ella me avergonzó en frente de mis amigos.She embarrassed me in front of my friends.This sentence is useful for showing how to use me avergonzó to describe being embarrassed in front of friends.Tatoeba #3037605 by marcelostockle, translation #2356201 by Hybrid
- Me ha dado vergüenza llegar tarde a la reunión.I have been embarrassed by arriving late to the meeting.
- Me dio un corte hacer esa pregunta tan indiscreta.I got embarrassed asking that indiscreet question.
- Su comportamiento me avergonzó mucho.His behavior embarrassed me a lot.
- Ese comentario me avergonzó delante de todos.That comment embarrassed me in front of everyone.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are talking about a family dinner.
- LucíaJavier, mi padre me avergonzó anoche.Javier, my father embarrassed me last night.
- Javier¿Qué pasó?What happened?
- LucíaContó una historia muy vieja y ridícula.He told a very old and ridiculous story.
- JavierNo te preocupes, nadie se dio cuenta.Don't worry, nobody noticed.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
