das pena
/das pena/from spelling rules
The English phrase "your cringe" can be expressed in Spanish as das pena.
The phrase is used to describe someone's behavior as embarrassing or awkward. You can also use the informal expression tu vergüenza ajena to express the concept of "your second-hand embarrassment."
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are not referring to a person, the verb form changes. Use da pena to say "it is cringe" or "it is embarrassing" when referring to a single situation or object. Use dan pena to say "they are cringe" or "they are embarrassing" when referring to multiple people or things.
How do you pronounce it?
/das pena/
Did you know?
- The word pena shares an ancestor with the English word 'penalty', as both stem from the Latin 'poena' meaning punishment or retribution.
- While das pena means 'you are cringe' in this context, pena is also the standard word for 'sorrow' or 'grief'. Depending on the tone, you could be telling someone they are embarrassing or telling them that you feel sorry for them.
- In Mexico, the word pena is frequently used to describe shyness or social anxiety. Someone who is penoso is not necessarily cringe, but rather timid or embarrassed to speak in public.
Examples in context
- Me da vergüenza ajena ver esa actuación.I feel second-hand embarrassment watching that performance.
- ¡Tu actuación fue tan mala! Me dio mucha vergüenza ajena.Your performance was so bad! It gave me a lot of second-hand embarrassment.
- Esa foto tuya me da mucho cringe.That picture of yours gives me a lot of cringe.
- ¡No hagas eso, me das mucha pena!Don't do that, you make me cringe!
- Me das pena con ese baile.You're cringe with that dance.
- ¡Qué vergüenza! Me das pena.How embarrassing! You're cringe.
- No digas eso, me das pena.Don't say that, you're cringe.
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are at a party where Javier is trying to dance.
- SofíaJavier, deja de bailar así.Javier, stop dancing like that.
- Javier¡Pero si me estoy divirtiendo!But I'm having fun!
- SofíaEs que me das pena.It's just that you're cringe.
- JavierNo seas tan dura conmigo.Don't be so hard on me.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pena, CC BY-SA 4.0.
