Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Embarrassment in Spanish: Vergüenza
Vergüenza · noun · behr-GWEHN-sah
Vergüenza is the Spanish noun for embarrassment or shame. It appears in many common expressions like ¡Qué vergüenza! (How embarrassing!) and sinvergüenza (shameless person). The word embarazo, despite its resemblance to embarrassment, actually means pregnancy — a classic false-cognate trap for English speakers.
Say behr-GWEHN-sah, with the stress on the second syllable. The gü produces a gw sound, and the final a is open and clear.
Sentí mucha vergüenza al darme cuenta de mi error.
I felt a lot of embarrassment when I realized my mistake.
Embarrassment in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for embarrassment, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| vergüenza | embarrassment | behr-GWEHN-sah | Default, widely understood |
| pena | embarrassment | Mexico and Central America | |
| bochorno | embarrassment | used for intense public embarrassment |
How Native Speakers Use Vergüenza
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Exclaiming about an embarrassing situation
¡Qué vergüenza! Olvidé el nombre de mi jefe.
How embarrassing! I forgot my boss's name.
¡Qué vergüenza! is one of the most common exclamations in Spanish for reacting to awkward moments.
Describing shame using pena in Mexico
¡Qué pena que no pude asistir a tu graduación!
How embarrassing that I couldn't attend your graduation!
In Mexican Spanish, pena often replaces vergüenza in casual conversation, though pena can also mean sorrow.
Calling someone shameless
Ese político es un sinvergüenza total.
That politician is completely shameless.
Sinvergüenza combines sin (without) and vergüenza to create a widely used insult meaning shameless person.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Vergüenza
Saying embarazo for embarrassment
Incorrect: Fue un gran embarazo para mí.
Correct: Fue una gran vergüenza para mí.
Embarazo means pregnancy. Saying fue un gran embarazo para mí would be understood as it was a great pregnancy for me, which is clearly not the intended meaning.
Mispronouncing the gü as a plain g
Incorrect: behr-GEN-sah
Correct: behr-GWEHN-sah
The dieresis over the u (ü) indicates that the u must be pronounced. Without the w sound, the word loses its correct pronunciation and may not be understood.
Lock in Embarrassment Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Vergüenza used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using vergüenza in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Sentí mucha vergüenza al darme cuenta de mi error. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Embarrassment in Spanish
- How do you say embarrassment in Spanish?
- Vergüenza is the standard Spanish noun for embarrassment. It is used across all Spanish-speaking countries, though in Mexico and Central America you will also hear pena used interchangeably in casual speech.
- Does embarazo mean embarrassment?
- Embarazo exclusively means pregnancy in modern Spanish, making it one of the trickiest false cognates. The correct word for embarrassment is vergüenza, and mixing them up is ironically one of the most embarrassing mistakes learners can make.
- What does sinvergüenza mean?
- Sinvergüenza literally translates to without shame and is used as a noun to call someone a shameless person, scoundrel, or rascal. It can range from playful teasing among friends to a serious insult depending on tone and context.