Pena

Today's word is: Pena

Clase: sustantivo (noun)

Género: femenino (feminine)

Origen: latín (Latin)

Related words

la pena	noun	pity sadness shame sorrow punishment sentence difficulties struggle troubles ghost
el penado la penada	noun	convict
apenado apenada apenados apenadas	adjective	saddened feeling sad
apenar	verb	to cause sorrow to cause upset to cause bother
apenarse	verb	to feel sorrow to feel upset to feel shame
penar	verb	to punish to suffer to agonise to pine

In Spanish, “pena” is a feminine noun of Latin origin which means pity, sadness, shame or sorrow. Typical examples of the use of the word “pena” in this context are:

• Es una pena que no podáis venir a vernos (it is a pity you can't come to visit us)
• Qué pena que no podáis venir a vernos (what a shame you can't come to visit us)

The noun “pena” also means punishment or sentence. Typical examples of the use of the word “pena” in this context are:

• En España la pena de muerte ha sido abolida (the death sentence has been abolished in Spain)
• El robo puede conllevar pena de prisión (theft could result in jail as a punishment)

The noun “pena” may also mean struggle or troubles. A typical example of the use of the word “pena” in this context is:

• Cuéntame tus penas (tell me about your troubles)

In some parts, especially in Latin America the noun “pena” may also mean ghost. A typical example of the use of the word “pena” in this context is:

• Cuentos de penas aparecidos (tales of ghosts and apparitions)

A related word is “penado” is a noun meaning convict. A typical example of the use of the word “penado” as a noun is:

• Los penados suelen realizar actividades laborales en la cárcel (convicts/ prisoners often work whilst in jail)

Also a related word is “apenado” is a describing word/ adjective meaning saddened. A typical example of the use of the word “apenado” is:

• Nos sentimos apenados (we feel saddened)

The action word/ verb “apenar”/ “apenarse” is a related word meaning to sadden, to be sad or to feel sad. A typical example of the use of this verb could be:

• Apena ver que no te sientes bien (it is sad to see that you are not feeling well)

The action word/ verb “penar” is also a related word meaning to punish, to agonise, to pine, or to suffer. A couple of typical examples of the use of the word “penar” are:

• La ley penará el fraude (fraud will be punished by law)
• Alejados de la familia penamos lo indecible (away from our families we suffer beyond words)

Spanish expressions with the word “pena” are:

• Apenas (barely/ hardly/ as soon as/ no sooner)
  • Apenas llegamos a casa nos fuimos a la cama (no sooner had we got home, we went to bed)
• A duras penas (with great hardship)
  • A duras penas llego a fin de mes (I really struggle to make ends meet/ I barely make ends meet)
• A malas penas (with great hardship)
  • A malas penas llego a fin de mes (I really struggle to make ends meet/ I barely make ends meet)
• A penas (barely/ hardly/ as soon as/ no sooner)
  • A penas llegamos a casa nos fuimos a la cama (no sooner had we got home, we went to bed)
• Alma en pena (lost soul)
• Dar pena (to sadden/ to feel sad)
• De pena (badly/ pitifully)
  • El trabajo me va de pena (the situation at work is really bad)
  • Esta ropa me queda de pena (I look really bad in these clothes)
• Merecer la pena (to be worth it)
  • No merece la pena que vengas (it is not worth your while coming)
• Hecho una pena^* (in a sorry state/ in a mess)
• Pena capital (capital punishment/ death penalty)
• Pena de la vida (capital punishment/ death penalty)
• Pena de muerte (capital punishment/ death penalty)
• Pena del talión (an eye for an eye penalty/ punishment)
• Pena pecuniaria (fine)
• Qué pena (what a shame)
• Sin pena ni gloria (uneventfully/ almost unnoticed)
  • El día pasó sin pena ni gloria (the day ended quite uneventfully)
• So pena de (on penalty of/ under penalty of)
  • Está prohibido fumar so pena de despido (smoking is prohibited under penalty of dismissal)
• Valer la pena (to be worth it)
  • No vale la pena que vengas (it is not worth your while coming)

Notes

*Agreement with the described noun required, e.g.:

• El baño estaba hecho una pena (the bathroom was a mess)
• La cocina estaba hecha una pena (the kitchen was a mess)

Love-Spanish.com loves the word "pena" in the YouTube clip: MarcAnthony - Valió La Pena

For more on the word "pena", visit: Wordreference.com/es/en/ Pena

*NB 'Click' on the speaker icon next to the word “pena”in the link to hear the word pronounced.

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