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Short answer

“what a shame” in Spanish is ¡Qué pena!

How to say what a shame in Spanish?

How to say what a shame in Spanish? The most common answer is ¡Qué pena! (pronounced roughly keh PEH-nah). You can also say ¡Qué lástima!, which means the same thing and works in any situation. In casual Mexican Spanish, ¡Qué mala onda! is a slangy way to say 'what a bummer.' Use these expressions to react to bad news, missed chances or small everyday disappointments, and remember that 'qué pena que' is followed by the subjunctive: ¡Qué pena que no puedas venir!

expression¡Qué lástima! / ¡Qué mala onda! Updated November 4, 2026

Common pairings

qué pena que + subjuntivoes una pena que + subjuntivoqué lástima que + subjuntivoqué mala onda (informal)

How to use it

  • ¡Qué pena! is the everyday all-purpose reaction to bad news, small accidents, cancellations and missed chances. It is standard in Spain and Latin America.
  • ¡Qué lástima! means the same thing and is completely safe to use too; it can feel slightly more formal, literary or emphatic.
  • ¡Qué mala onda! is informal Mexican slang; use it with friends in relaxed situations, not with bosses, teachers or strangers.
  • After 'qué pena que' and 'qué lástima que,' standard Spanish uses the subjunctive: 'qué pena que no puedas venir.' Colloquially you might hear the indicative, but the subjunctive is the safer, more correct option.

Examples

¡Qué pena que no puedas venir a la fiesta!
What a shame you can't come to the party!
Use 'qué pena que' + subjunctive; here 'no puedas' is the present subjunctive of 'poder.'
¡Qué lástima que hayas perdido tu teléfono!
What a pity you lost your phone!
'Qué lástima' is a synonym for 'qué pena.' 'Hayas perdido' is the present perfect subjunctive.
¡Qué mala onda que se haya acabado la pizza!
What a bummer that the pizza's all gone!
Very casual Mexican slang for 'what a bummer.' 'Mala onda' literally means 'bad vibe.'
Es una pena que no hayas aprobado el examen.
It's a shame you didn't pass the exam.
Instead of an exclamation, you can build a full sentence with 'es una pena que' + subjunctive.

Common mistakes

WrongCorrectWhy
¡Qué vergüenza que hayas perdido tu trabajo! ¡Qué pena que hayas perdido tu trabajo! Vergüenza means embarrassment, not pity; use pena or lástima to express sympathy.
Qué pena que no puedes venir. Qué pena que no puedas venir. 'Qué pena que' is followed by the subjunctive in standard Spanish; 'puedes' is the indicative and sounds informal or incorrect in writing.
UnnaturalNaturalWhy
¡Qué desgracia que llueva! ¡Qué pena que llueva! Desgracia is used for serious misfortunes and sounds exaggerated for everyday problems; pena or lástima is the natural choice.

FAQ

  1. How to say what a shame in Spanish?
    The most natural translation is ¡Qué pena! You can also say ¡Qué lástima! Both mean 'what a pity' and work in almost any situation across Spain and Latin America.
  2. Is 'qué vergüenza' the same as 'qué pena'?
    No. 'Qué vergüenza' means 'how embarrassing.' Use 'qué pena' to express pity or disappointment about a situation, and 'qué vergüenza' for embarrassment.
  3. Can I say 'qué pena' when I want to apologize?
    No, not as an apology. To say 'I'm sorry' for something you did, use 'lo siento' or 'perdón.' 'Qué pena' is a reaction to bad news, not an apology.
  4. Does 'qué pena' mean 'sad' or 'embarrassed'?
    As an exclamation, it means 'what a shame.' The phrase 'me da pena' can mean 'it makes me sad' in Latin America or 'I'm embarrassed' in Spain, so context matters.