pobrecito
/pobɾeˈθito/masculine
In Spanish, the English phrase 'poor thing' is translated as pobrecito. If unsure, use pobrecito. Wiktionary also lists pobrecillo.
Meaning: someone or something to be pitied (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pobrecito | /pobɾeˈθito/ /pobɾeˈsito/ |
masculine |
| pobrecillo | /pobɾeˈθiʝo/ | masculine |
The phrase is used to refer to someone or something to be pitied.
Which one should you use?
While pobrecito is used for genuine sympathy, pobrecillo can sometimes carry a nuance of condescension or imply the person is insignificant.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is pobrecito and the feminine singular form is pobrecita. For plural use, pobrecitos is the masculine plural and pobrecitas is the feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/pobɾeˈθito/
Did you know?
- While pobrecito literally means 'poor little one', it is frequently used sarcastically to mock someone who is complaining too much or acting like a victim.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, pobrecito is commonly used to describe pets or infants even if they are physically large or healthy.
- Spanish speakers may use pobrecito to refer to an inanimate object that has been damaged, effectively personifying the object through pity.
Examples in context
- Pobrecito, con razón llora.Poor thing, no wonder he's crying.This sentence shows how to use pobrecito when expressing sympathy for someone crying.Tatoeba #9193035 by hayastan, translation #9193036 by DJ_Saidez
- ¡Pobrecito!Poor thing!This sentence shows how to use pobrecito as an exclamation of sympathy.Tatoeba #3030055 by biibi, translation #2701383 by mccarras
- ¡Pobrecita! Se cayó y se lastimóPoor thing! She fell and got hurt
- ¡Pobrecilla! Se olvidó el paraguas y ahora está mojadaPoor thing! She forgot her umbrella and now she's soaked
- El pobrecito no pudo dormir anoche.The poor thing could not sleep last night.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are talking about a sick puppy.
- MateoMira al perro, está muy enfermo.Look at the dog, he is very sick.
- Lucía¡Pobrecito! Necesita ir al veterinario.Poor thing! He needs to go to the vet.
- MateoSí, apenas puede caminar.Yes, he can barely walk.
- LucíaEspero que se recupere pronto.I hope he recovers soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “poor thing” translations and entries pobrecito, pobrecillo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
