Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| duelo | /ˈdwelo/ | masculine |
| pesar | /peˈsaɾ/ | masculine |
| pesadumbre | /pesaˈdumbɾe/ | feminine |
| dolor | /doˈloɾ/ | masculine |
| sufrimiento | /sufɾiˈmjento/ | masculine |
| pena | /ˈpena/ | feminine |
Spanish uses different terms to describe the various facets of sadness and grief. While all the provided terms relate to sorrow, they cover different emotional landscapes: from the formal process of bereavement to the acute sensation of emotional pain or the heavy state of misfortune.
Which one should you use?
The choice between words depends on the specific type of grief being described. duelo specifically refers to the formal process of mourning or bereavement following a death. dolor is used when emphasizing the acute, sharp emotional or physical pain associated with grief. pena is often used to describe a more continuous, heavy state of sorrow or misfortune. pesar is a formal word that encompasses the feeling of sorrow and grief.
How does it change in a sentence?
In many literary or poetic contexts, the plural form las penas is used to describe a person's various hardships or deep-seated sorrows.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdwelo/
When do people say it?
The phrase sentir pena is commonly used to express feeling sympathy or sorrow for someone else's situation.
Did you know?
- The word duelo is a homonym in Spanish, meaning both the emotional process of 'mourning' and a formal 'duel' fought with weapons.
- In several Latin American countries, the word pena does not always mean grief but can describe feeling 'shame' or 'embarrassment'.
- In Spanish, the words pesar for grief and pensar for 'think' are doublets that share the same Latin ancestor, pēnsāre.
Examples in context
- Se entregó al dolor.He abandoned himself to grief.This sentence is useful for showing how one can succumb to the emotional pain of dolor.Tatoeba #7011984 by Eremon, translation #302925 by CM
- Se entregó a las penas.She abandoned herself to grief.This sentence demonstrates using the plural form pena to describe being overwhelmed by grief.Tatoeba #7011987 by Eremon, translation #316545 by CM
- Arrastraba su pena en silencio.He bore his grief in silence.This sentence shows how one can carry their sorrows, referred to here as pena, in silence.Tatoeba #8731787 by arh, translation #10199865 by johannessleon
- Siento mucho dolor por la pérdida de mi abuelaI feel a lot of grief for the loss of my grandmother.
- La muerte de mi amigo me causa mucha penaThe death of my friend causes me a lot of grief.
- Estoy de luto por la pérdida de mi hermanoI am in mourning for the loss of my brother.
- Siento mucho pesar debido a la tragediaI feel a lot of grief due to the tragedy.
- Estoy llena de tristeza por la pérdida de mi mascotaI am filled with grief for the loss of my pet
- Me da mucha pena su fallecimientoHis passing gives me a lot of grief
- Siento mucho dolor por la situación que estamos viviendoI feel a lot of grief for the situation we are going through.
- La pérdida de mi trabajo me causa mucha angustiaLosing my job causes me a lot of grief
- Después del fallecimiento de mi abuelo, siento mucho dolor y pena en mi corazón.After the passing of my grandfather, I feel a lot of grief and sorrow in my heart.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are talking about a friend's recent loss.
- ElenaMateo, ¿cómo lleva el duelo su familia?Mateo, how is his family handling the grief?
- MateoEstán muy tristes, pero se apoyan mucho.They are very sad, but they support each other a lot.
- ElenaEl proceso del duelo es muy difícil.The process of grief is very difficult.
- MateoSí, Elena, requiere mucho tiempo y paciencia.Yes, Elena, it requires a lot of time and patience.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grief” translations and entries duelo, pesar, pesadumbre, dolor, sufrimiento, pena, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dolor, pesadumbre, pesar, sufrimiento, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
