qué lástima
/ke lastima/from spelling rules
qué lástima is the Spanish phrase for "what a shame".
qué lástima is an expression used to convey that a situation is disappointing or sad. It is frequently used as an exclamation on its own to react to bad news.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of qué (what/how) and lástima (pity/shame/sorrow).
Which one should you use?
While qué lástima is a common way to express this sentiment, qué pena is a very frequent synonym used to express the same feeling of disappointment or sadness.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, you may hear Qué macana or Qué bajón used in informal contexts instead of Qué lástima.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you use qué lástima followed by a clause describing a situation, the verb in that clause must be in the subjunctive mood.
Did you know?
- The Argentinian slang qué macana is a colloquial substitute for qué lástima and literally refers to a 'club' or 'large wooden mallet'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, saying qué pena during a social invitation can serve as a polite, indirect way to decline without saying 'no'.
- While qué lástima expresses sadness, its synonym qué pena can be used to say 'how embarrassing' depending on the speaker's tone.
Examples in context
- Qué lástima que Andrea se haya ido tan pronto.What a shame that Andrea left this early.This sentence shows how to use qué lástima with a clause in the subjunctive.Tatoeba #614454 by Shishir, translation #705430 by papabear
- Qué lástima.What a shame.This sentence demonstrates using qué lástima as a standalone reaction.Tatoeba #537407 by Shishir, translation #2303351 by FeuDRenais2
- ¡Qué lástima!What a shame!This sentence shows qué lástima used as an exclamation.Tatoeba #740085 by Shishir, translation #42149 by CK
- Qué lástima que no pudiste asistir a la conferencia.What a shame you couldn't attend the conference.
- Me dijeron que cancelaron el evento. ¡Qué lástima!I was told they canceled the event. What a shame!
- Es una pena que el proyecto no haya tenido éxito.It's a shame the project wasn't successful.
- Me parece una pena que no hayas ganado el premio.I think it's a shame you didn't win the prize.
- Resulta lamentable que hayamos perdido el partido.It's regrettable that we lost the match.
- No pudimos ir a la fiesta. ¡Qué pena!We couldn't go to the party. What a shame!
- Es una lástima que no hayas podido venir a la reunión.It's a shame you couldn't come to the meeting.
- Perdí el partido de fútbol. ¡Es una lástima!I lost the soccer match. What a shame!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Mateo are talking about a cancelled outdoor concert.
- MaríaSe canceló el concierto por la lluvia.The concert was cancelled because of the rain.
- Mateo¡Qué lástima! Tenía muchas ganas de ir.What a shame! I was really looking forward to going.
- MaríaLo siento mucho, Mateo.I am very sorry, Mateo.
- MateoNo pasa nada, María.It's okay, María.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
