che peccato
/ˈke pekˈka.to/word by word
The Italian phrase for 'what a shame' is che peccato.
che peccato is used to express that a situation is disappointing or regrettable. While it literally translates to 'what a sin', it is the standard way to say 'what a shame' in English.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of che, meaning 'what' or 'that' and peccato, meaning 'sin'.
How does it change in a sentence?
che peccato can be used as a standalone exclamation to react to bad news.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈke pekˈka.to/. The word has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the concept of 'shame' as in embarrassment is expressed by vergogna, which is never used in the phrase che peccato.
- In very informal settings, Italians might substitute che peccato with che sfiga, which literally refers to 'bad luck' or 'bad fate'.
- The word peccato is a direct descendant of the Latin peccātum, which originally meant a stumble or a fault.
Examples in context
- Che peccato, avevo già immaginato il mio matrimonio.What a shame, I had already imagined my wedding.This sentence shows how to use che peccato when expressing regret about a wedding.Tatoeba #606906 by Pharamp, translation #8944630 by FlamingBee
- Che peccato!What a shame!This sentence shows che peccato used as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #358298 by grantortino, translation #42149 by CK
- Che peccato che non sia riuscito a partecipare all'incontro.What a shame I couldn't attend the meeting.
- Mi dispiace che tu abbia perso l'occasione di visitare Firenze.What a shame you missed the opportunity to visit Florence.
- Che peccato che non ci siamo incontrati ieri sera.What a shame we didn't meet last night.
- Che peccato davvero che abbiano annullato il concerto.What a shame they canceled the concert, really.
- Che peccato che non puoi venire alla festa.What a shame that you cannot come to the party.
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are talking about a canceled concert.
- MatteoIl concerto di stasera è stato annullato.Tonight's concert was canceled.
- MartinaChe peccato, ci tenevo molto!What a shame, I was really looking forward to it!
- MatteoAnche io, Martina.Me too, Martina.
- MartinaSperiamo che lo riprogrammino presto.Let's hope they reschedule it soon.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (che, peccato) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries che, peccato, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
