peccato
/pekˈka.to/masculine
The English phrase "too bad" can be expressed in Italian as peccato.
peccato translates to both "what a pity" and "too bad." You can use it as a standalone exclamation, such as Peccato! or the very common exclamatory form Che peccato!, to express sympathy or disappointment. For example, Che peccato! is a common way to say "What a shame!" or "That's too bad!"
Meaning: that's a pity (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The word peccato literally means "sin."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Using just Peccato! or Che peccato! is an informal way to express sympathy or disappointment.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to say "too bad that…", the word peccato is followed by che and typically triggers the subjunctive mood in the following verb.
How do you pronounce it?
/pekˈka.to/. The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In a sarcastic context, peccato can be used to mean 'serves you right' or 'too bad for you' when the speaker is not actually sorry.
- Italian speakers often accompany Che peccato! with a specific gesture of shrugging the shoulders and turning the palms upward.
- The transition of peccato from 'sin' to 'too bad' mirrors how English speakers sometimes use 'criminal' to describe a 'criminal waste' of talent.
Examples in context
- Oh! È un peccato.Oh! That's too bad.This sentence is useful for expressing a reaction to something being a pity using peccato.Tatoeba #1645987 by Guybrush88, translation #433723 by CK
- Oh, è un peccato.Oh, that's too bad.Tatoeba #3573885 by Guybrush88, translation #3573714 by CK
- Peccato che tu abbia sposato la persona sbagliata.Too bad you married the wrong person.This sentence shows how to use peccato to mean "too bad that…" followed by a clause.Tatoeba #11717060 by Nuel, translation #11717059 by Nuel
- Abbiamo perso l'occasione, purtroppo.We missed the opportunity, too bad.
- Non sei potuto venire alla festa? Peccato!You couldn't come to the party? Too bad!
- Peccato che il concerto sia stato annullato.Too bad the concert got canceled.
- Peccatucci! Non ce l'abbiamo fatta a tempo.Too bad! We didn't make it in time.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Chiara are talking about a cancelled concert.
- LorenzoIl concerto è stato annullato.The concert was cancelled.
- ChiaraChe peccato, ci tenevo molto.That's a pity, I was really looking forward to it.
- LorenzoSì, è davvero un peccato.Yes, it is truly a pity.
- ChiaraMagari ci sarà un'altra occasione.Maybe there will be another opportunity.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “too bad” translations and entries peccato, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
