Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| miserable | /miseˈɾable/ |
| mísero | /ˈmiseɾo/ |
The word miserable is used to describe someone experiencing emotional suffering or being in a state of misery. In contrast, mísero is typically used to describe a person who is stingy with money or to describe a situation that is wretched and meager.
Which one should you use?
The choice between these forms depends on whether you are describing an emotion or a personality trait or circumstance. miserable focuses on emotional unhappiness, while mísero often carries a connotation of being a miser or extremely stingy. Additionally, mísero can be used to describe something as wretched or meager.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective miserable is gender-neutral, so the form remains the same whether the subject is masculine or feminine. To make miserable plural, add an 's' to form miserables.
How do you pronounce it?
/miseˈɾable/
Did you know?
- While English 'miserable' usually refers to sadness, the Spanish adjective miserable can also be used to describe a person who is morally despicable or truly contemptible.
- The word mísero can describe both a person's stingy character and a very small, insufficient amount of something, like a 'mísero' amount of food.
- The Spanish word mísero shares its roots with the English word 'miser', which describes someone who hoards wealth and refuses to spend it.
Examples in context
- Confieso que soy miserable.I confess I'm miserable.This sentence is useful for expressing a personal confession of being miserable using miserable.Tatoeba #1654671 by marcelostockle, translation #1654676 by marcelostockle
- ¿Qué te sucedió? Luces miserable.What happened to you? You look miserable.This sentence shows how to use miserable to describe someone's appearance.Tatoeba #1866429 by marcelostockle, translation #844011 by J_S
- Kate miró a Chris y le ignoró, haciéndole sentir miserable.Kate glanced at Chris and then ignored him, making him feel miserable.This sentence demonstrates how an action can cause someone to feel miserable.Tatoeba #1602732 by Shishir, translation #62710 by CN
- Mi amiga está desdichada en su matrimonio.My friend is miserable in her marriage.
- No puedo evitar sentirme afligida por la situación.I can't help but feel miserable about the situation.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel are talking about a bad day at work.
- MaríaTuve un día terrible en la oficina.I had a terrible day at the office.
- DanielLo siento mucho, María. Te ves miserable.I'm so sorry, María. You look miserable.
- MaríaSí, me siento miserable después de esa reunión.Yes, I feel miserable after that meeting.
- DanielVamos a cenar para que te sientas mejor.Let's go to dinner so you feel better.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “miserable” translations and entries miserable, mísero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries miserable, mísero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
