Qué pena
Example: ¡Qué pena que no puedas venir a la fiesta hoy!
Definition
"Qué pena" is an expression used to convey sympathy or regret about an unfortunate situation. It often communicates feelings of sadness or disappointment, as in the example phrase, "¡Qué pena que no puedas venir a la fiesta hoy!" meaning 'What a shame that you can't come to the party today!'
Etymology
The expression "qué pena" comes from Spanish, where "qué" means 'what' and "pena" means 'pain' or 'sorrow.' Together, they literally translate to 'what a pain' or 'what a sorrow,' which naturally evolved into an idiomatic way to express regret or sympathy. Did you know? While "pena" originally referred to physical pain or punishment, in expressions like "qué pena," it conveys emotional discomfort.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Qué pena" appears in the Vocaplus list "Spanish - General - Modismos y refranes - (A1) - parte 1", containing 112 commonly used expressions.
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