vergüenza ajena
/beɾɡwenθa axena/from spelling rules
The English phrase secondhand embarrassment is expressed in Spanish as vergüenza ajena.
This phrase describes the feeling of embarrassment experienced on behalf of another person who is in an embarrassing situation. You can use the exclamation ¡Qué vergüenza ajena! to react to witnessing an awkward situation, meaning "how embarrassing (for them)".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of vergüenza (shame/embarrassment) and ajena (belonging to someone else).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you might hear corte ajeno to describe secondhand embarrassment.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, you typically use the verb dar (to give) to express that someone or something causes you to feel secondhand embarrassment, as in dar vergüenza ajena. While dar is used to describe the source of the feeling, sentir (to feel) is used to describe the internal experience of the person feeling the embarrassment, such as sentir vergüenza ajena.
Did you know?
- The word vergüenza is a distant relative of the English word 'second' because they both trace back to the same Proto-Indo-European root *sekʷ-der.
- The term ajena comes from the Latin alienus, meaning 'belonging to another'. This is the same root used for the English word 'alien', which describes something foreign or not belonging.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the feeling of vergüenza ajena is so visceral that people will physically cover their eyes or turn away to avoid seeing the person causing the embarrassment.
Examples in context
- Me das vergüenza ajena.You give me secondhand embarrassment.This sentence shows how to use vergüenza ajena to say that someone causes you to feel secondhand embarrassment.Tatoeba #5025174 by don_ramon, translation #9943901 by Alairis
- Cuando vi a Juan tropezarse en el escenario durante la presentación, sentí una vergüenza ajena terrible. ¡Me dieron ganas de esconderme debajo de una mesa!When I saw Juan trip on stage during the presentation, I felt a terrible secondhand embarrassment. I wanted to hide under a table!
- ¡Ay, qué pena ajena me dio cuando Jorge se declaró frente a todos en la fiesta y ella rechazó su propuesta!Oh, I felt such secondhand embarrassment when Jorge confessed his love in front of everyone at the party, and she rejected his proposal!
- Su comportamiento me dio vergüenza ajena.His behavior gave me secondhand embarrassment.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are watching a clumsy person on TV.
- JavierNo puedo mirar, me da vergüenza ajena.I can't watch, it gives me secondhand embarrassment.
- ElenaTienes razón, es muy incómodo.You're right, it's very uncomfortable.
- JavierPobre hombre, no sabe lo que hace.Poor man, he doesn't know what he's doing.
- ElenaSí, Javier, es realmente vergonzoso.Yes, Javier, it is really embarrassing.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vergüenza, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
