Spanish · Emotions & Descriptions
"What a shame!" in Spanish: ¡qué lástima!
¡qué lástima!
What a shame! in Spanish is ¡qué lástima! Say ¡Qué lástima! for bad luck or canceled plans. Soften with ay, qué lástima.
Canceled concert
¿Se canceló? ¡Qué lástima!Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce ¡qué lástima!
Say it
keh LAHS-tee-mah
/ˈke ˈlas.ti.ma/
keh LAHS-tee-mah. Stress LAHS.
"What a shame!" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ¡qué lástima! | what a shame! Main reaction. | Main reaction. |
| qué lástima | what a shame Without bangs in calm talk. | Without bangs in calm talk. |
| ay, qué lástima | oh, what a shame Softer sympathy. | Softer sympathy. |
| qué lástima que… | what a shame that… Add a reason. | Add a reason. |
How to use ¡qué lástima! in real life
- 1Canceled concert
¿Se canceló? ¡Qué lástima!
It got canceled? What a shame!
¡Qué lástima! = quick reaction.
- 2Missed train
Qué lástima que perdiste el tren.
What a shame that you missed the train.
Qué lástima que… + clause.
- 3Friend’s news
Ay, qué lástima. ¿Otra fecha?
Oh, what a shame. Another date?
Ay softens qué lástima.
Mistakes English speakers make with ¡qué lástima!
Incorrect: ¡Qué pena! (as the only form taught here)
Correct: ¡Qué lástima!
This page’s headword is qué lástima; qué pena is a neighbor.
Incorrect: What a shame!
Correct: ¡Qué lástima!
Use qué lástima, not English.
Good to know
¡Qué lástima! is everyday Latin American sympathy for small disappointments. Qué pena is a close neighbor. Keep qué lástima warm, not dramatic.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Hearing a trip got delayed
ChatPal
¿Pospusieron el vuelo? ¡Qué lástima!
They postponed the flight? What a shame!
You
Sí. Qué lástima, pero hay otro mañana.
Yes. What a shame, but there’s another tomorrow.
ChatPal
Menos mal. Aun así, qué lástima el cambio.
Good news. Still, what a shame about the change.
You
Aviso a la familia ahora.
I’ll tell the family now.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"What a shame!" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "What a shame!" in Spanish
Qué lástima vs qué pena?
Both show sympathy. This page teaches qué lástima.
Do I need the accent on qué?
Yes in writing: qué with accent in ¡qué lástima!
What a shame that…?
Qué lástima que…
Softer version?
Ay, qué lástima.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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