Inklingo

lamentable

lah-men-TAH-bleh/lamenˈtaβle/

lamentable means regrettable in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

regrettable

Also: unfortunate, shameful
Adjectivem or fB1
A child looking sadly at a dropped ice cream cone melting on the sidewalk.

📝 In Action

Es lamentable que hayamos perdido el partido.

B1

It is regrettable that we lost the game.

Fue un error lamentable.

B1

It was an unfortunate mistake.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • un suceso lamentablea regrettable event
  • un estado lamentablea pitiful state

pitiful

Also: pathetic, deplorable
Adjectivem or fB2
A very worn-out, tattered teddy bear with stuffing coming out and a missing eye.

📝 In Action

La comida en ese restaurante era lamentable.

B2

The food in that restaurant was pitiful.

El servicio al cliente es lamentable.

B2

The customer service is pathetic.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pésimo (terrible/worst)
  • deplorable (deplorable)

Antonyms

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: lamentable

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly describes a dirty, broken-down car?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
lamentar(to regret/lament)Verb
lamento(lament/moan)Noun
lamentablemente(unfortunately)Adverb
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

From the Latin word 'lamentabilis', which comes from 'lamentari' (to weep or wail). It shares the same roots as the English word 'lament'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: lamentableFrench: lamentableItalian: lamentevole

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'lamentable' the same as 'sad'?

Not exactly. While 'triste' is the general word for sad, 'lamentable' is closer to 'regrettable' or 'pitiful.' It suggests that something is so bad it's worth crying over or complaining about.

When should I use 'lamentablemente' instead?

Use 'lamentablemente' when you want to say 'Unfortunately' at the start of a sentence (e.g., 'Unfortunately, I can't go'). Use 'lamentable' to describe a person, thing, or situation.