All slang › Spanish › Colombia
¡Qué pena!
🇨🇴 Spanish slang from Colombia
What does “¡Qué pena!” mean?
Sorry! / How embarrassing!
Example
“¡Qué pena con usted, llegué tarde!”
I'm so sorry, I'm late!
Good to know
In Colombia it mostly expresses embarrassment or apology, not 'what a pity' as elsewhere.
Who you can say it to
Fine with anyone
☕ Everyday😮 Reactions
The textbook way to say it: ¡Perdón!
Heard in a conversation
Sunday lunch at Mom's
Camilo Va a hacer ajiaco. ¡No la vayas a embarrar llegando tarde!
She's making ajiaco. Don't go messing it up by arriving late!
Mari Ay, qué pena. La última vez llegué a las tres.
Oh, how embarrassing. Last time I got there at three.
Camilo Y va la tía Rosa con el novio nuevo, un mono altísimo.
And Aunt Rosa's coming with her new boyfriend, a really tall blond guy.
🙈 How other countries say “How embarrassing!”
- 🇲🇽 ¡Qué oso!Mexico
- 🇪🇸 ¡Qué corte!Spain
- 🇦🇷 ¡Qué papelón!Argentina
- 🇨🇱 ¡Qué plancha!Chile
- 🇵🇪 ¡Qué palta!Peru
More from Colombia
- chéverecool, great
- bacanocool, awesome
- ¡Qué chimba!Awesome! / So cool!
- ¡Pilas!Watch out! / Stay sharp!
- ¡De una!Sure! / Let's do it!
- ¡Hágale!Go for it! / OK!
- guayabohangover
- berracotough, brilliant; furious
Songs from Colombia
- La Camisa Negra · JuanesLevel A2
- Vida de Rico · CamiloLevel A2
- Waka Waka (Esto es África) · ShakiraLevel A2
- Mi Gente · J Balvin, Willy WilliamLevel A2
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