pena
/ˈpena/
pena is the Spanish word for a feeling of sadness or grief caused by a loss or a difficult situation.
You can use the phrase dar pena to express that something or someone evokes a feeling of pity or sadness. However, in many Latin American dialects, the word is used colloquially to mean embarrassment or shame, as in qué pena (how embarrassing).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, pena can be expressed as vergüenza.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpena/
Did you know?
- The word pena is used in the legal phrase pena de muerte to mean 'death penalty', showing its original meaning of punishment rather than emotion.
- The word pena shares the same root as the English word 'penalty'. Both derive from the Latin poena, which referred to a punishment or a price paid for a crime.
- In Colombia and parts of Central America, saying qué pena is a common way to apologize for a small mistake or for being late, similar to saying 'I am so sorry'.
Examples in context
- Me da pena no poder ayudarteI feel sorry I can't help you
- Siento mucha pena por tu pérdidaI feel a lot of sorrow for your loss
- ¡Qué pena que no te hayan dado la oportunidad!What a shame they didn't give you the opportunity!
- Le causa pena admitir su errorIt causes him sorrow to admit his mistake
- Me da mucha pena que te vayas.It makes me very sad that you are leaving.
- Siento mucha pena por su situación.I feel a lot of sadness for her situation.
- Toda la familia siente la pena de la pérdida.The whole family feels the grief of the loss.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are talking about a friend's family emergency.
- JavierMe enteré de lo que pasó con su padre.I heard about what happened with his father.
- LucíaSí, es una pena muy grande para él.Yes, it is a great sadness for him.
- Javier¿Crees que deberíamos visitarlo mañana?Do you think we should visit him tomorrow?
- LucíaSí, Javier, sería bueno acompañarlo ahora.Yes, Javier, it would be good to be with him now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pena, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pena, CC BY-SA 4.0.
