Por desgracia
Example: Por desgracia, no pude asistir a la fiesta ayer.
Definition
"Por desgracia" is a Spanish expression used to indicate that something unfortunate has happened or is about to happen. It translates to 'unfortunately' in English and is commonly used to introduce bad news or express regret, as in 'Por desgracia, no pude asistir a la fiesta ayer.'
Etymology
The expression "por desgracia" combines the preposition 'por' meaning 'because of' or 'due to' and 'desgracia,' which means 'misfortune' or 'bad luck.' Together, they form a phrase that literally means 'because of misfortune.' Did you know that 'desgracia' comes from the Latin 'disgratia,' combining 'dis-' (a negative prefix) and 'gratia' (favor or thanks)?
Learn to use this expression actively
"Por desgracia" appears in the Vocaplus list "Spanish - General - Modismos y refranes - (A1) - parte 1", containing 112 commonly used expressions.
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