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pena

pity

noun PEH-nah Less Common
Mind & Emotions Emotions

Also means

sorrow

Usage Note

Pena is feminine and carries several learner-tricky meanings: pity/shame (¡qué pena!, what a shame!), sorrow or grief (sentir pena), and in legal contexts, a penalty (pena de muerte, death penalty). In Latin America dar pena means to feel embarrassed (not to feel sorry for someone), a regional nuance that can cause confusion.

Examples

"¡Qué pena que no puedas venir!"

Natural Translation

What a shame you can't come!

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