peccato
/pekˈka.to/
In Italian, the word for pity is peccato.
The word peccato is used to express a feeling of sympathy or to describe a regrettable situation. It is used in the idiomatic exclamation Che peccato! to mean "What a pity!" to express regret or disappointment. If you want to express the action of feeling pity for someone or something, use the verb compatire.
Meaning: feeling of sympathy (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, peccato means "sin".
Which one should you use?
While it is used to mean "pity" in the context of a regrettable situation, peccato is also the noun for "sin" when used in a religious or moral context.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /pekˈka.to/. It has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- Using the verb compatire can sometimes sound condescending in modern Italian, as it implies looking down on someone from a position of superiority.
- Italian speakers often accompany the exclamation Che peccato! with a slight shrug of the shoulders or a click of the tongue to emphasize the regret.
- While peccato is used for a 'pity' or a shame, the verb compatire shares a root with the English word 'compassion'. Both come from the Latin root meaning to suffer with someone.
Examples in context
- Che peccato che è!What a pity it is!This sentence is useful for expressing "What a pity it is!"Tatoeba #1649745 by Guybrush88, translation #36015 by CarpeLanam
- Penso sia un enorme peccato.I think it's a huge pity.This sentence is useful for expressing "I think it's a huge pity.".Tatoeba #7994000 by Guybrush88, translation #5745091 by CM
- Sarà un peccato se fallisce.It'll be a pity if he fails.This sentence is useful for expressing "It'll be a pity if he fails.".Tatoeba #13546440 by Guybrush88, translation #283039 by CM
- Mi dispiace molto.I'm very sorry.
- Mi spiace tanto per te.I feel really sorry for you.
- Ah, che peccato!Oh, what a shame!
- Mi dispiace un sacco.I'm really sorry.
- Mi dispiace che tu stia male.I'm sorry that you're feeling unwell.
- Mi spiace per l'incidente.I'm sorry about the accident.
- 60 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Alessandro are talking about a cancelled concert.
- ChiaraIl concerto è stato annullato.The concert was cancelled.
- AlessandroChe peccato, ci tenevo molto!What a pity, I was really looking forward to it!
- ChiaraSì, è un grande peccato per tutti.Yes, it is a great pity for everyone.
- AlessandroSperiamo che lo rifacciano presto.I hope they do it again soon.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry peccato, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
