Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate
Poverty in Spanish: Pobreza
Pobreza · noun (feminine) · poh-BREH-sah
Pobreza is the Spanish word for poverty, encompassing economic hardship, lack of resources, and social deprivation. Miseria describes extreme poverty or destitution, a step beyond ordinary pobreza. The adjective form is pobre (poor), one of the most common adjectives in Spanish.
Say poh-BREH-sah, three syllables with the stress on BREH. The z in many Latin American countries sounds like s, while in Spain it sounds like th.
La pobreza afecta a millones de personas en todo el mundo.
Poverty affects millions of people around the world.
Poverty in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for poverty, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| pobreza | poverty | poh-BREH-sah | Default, widely understood |
| miseria | poverty | extreme poverty, destitution |
How Native Speakers Use Pobreza
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Social discussion
El gobierno lanzó un nuevo programa para combatir la pobreza infantil.
The government launched a new program to combat child poverty.
Pobreza infantil (child poverty) is a common collocation in news and policy discussions.
Extreme poverty
Muchas familias viven en condiciones de miseria en las zonas rurales.
Many families live in conditions of extreme poverty in rural areas.
Miseria implies a more severe and desperate level of poverty than pobreza.
Personal reflection
Crecer en la pobreza me enseñó a valorar cada oportunidad.
Growing up in poverty taught me to value every opportunity.
Crecer en la pobreza is the natural phrasing for growing up in poverty.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Pobreza
Using pobre as a noun for poverty
Incorrect: El pobre es un problema grave en este país.
Correct: La pobreza es un problema grave en este país.
Pobre is an adjective (poor) or can mean a poor person. Pobreza is the noun for the abstract condition of poverty.
Confusing pobreza with pobresa
Incorrect: La pobresa extrema afecta a comunidades enteras.
Correct: La pobreza extrema afecta a comunidades enteras.
The correct spelling is pobreza with a z, not pobresa. This is a common spelling error among learners and native speakers alike.
Lock in Poverty 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 Pobreza used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Poverty in Spanish
- How do you say poverty in Spanish?
- Poverty in Spanish is pobreza. Miseria refers to extreme poverty or destitution. The adjective pobre means poor and is used for both people and situations.
- What is the difference between pobreza and miseria?
- Pobreza covers the general condition of being poor or lacking resources. Miseria implies a deeper, more extreme level — complete destitution, squalor, or wretchedness. Vivir en la miseria is more severe than vivir en la pobreza.
- How do you say poor in Spanish?
- Poor in Spanish is pobre. When placed before a noun (pobre hombre), it means unfortunate or pitiable. After the noun (hombre pobre), it means financially poor. This placement rule is a key nuance in Spanish.