Por desgracia
Example: Por desgracia, no pudimos llegar a tiempo al evento.
Definition
"Por desgracia" is a Spanish adverbial phrase used to express regret or unfortunate circumstances, equivalent to 'unfortunately' in English. It conveys that something negative or undesirable has happened or will happen, as in the phrase, 'Por desgracia, no pudimos llegar a tiempo al evento.'
Etymology
The phrase "por desgracia" combines 'por,' meaning 'because of' or 'due to,' and 'desgracia,' meaning 'misfortune' or 'bad luck.' It literally translates to 'because of misfortune.' This phrase has been used in Spanish to express unfortunate situations for centuries, reflecting a straightforward way to acknowledge bad luck or regret.
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"Por desgracia" appears in the Vocaplus list "Spanish - General - Modismos y refranes - (A2) - parte 1", containing 106 commonly used expressions.
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