pobre

/PO-breh/

poor

A small, simple, ceramic piggy bank that has a crack in it and is lying on its side, completely empty, illustrating a lack of money.

As an adjective, pobre often describes someone or something 'lacking money' or 'meager' in quality.

pobre(Adjective)

m/fA2

poor

lacking money (used AFTER the person/thing)

Also:

unfortunate / pitiful

expressing sympathy (used BEFORE the person/thing)

meager / of low quality

describing things, like a meal or resources

📝 In Action

Es una familia muy pobre, no tienen mucho dinero.

They are a very poor family, they don't have much money.

¡Pobre niño! Se cayó de la bicicleta.

Poor kid! He fell off his bike.

La cena fue un poco pobre, solo sopa y pan.

The dinner was a bit meager, just soup and bread.

Mi pobre coche no funciona otra vez.

My poor (unfortunate) car isn't working again.

Word Connections

Synonyms

necesitado (needy)
desafortunado (unfortunate)
humilde (humble)

Antonyms

rico (rich)
afortunado (fortunate)
adinerado (wealthy)

Common Collocations

pobre diablo – poor devil, unfortunate soul
tierra pobre – poor/infertile land
de pobre a rico – from rags to riches

Idioms & Expressions

ser más pobre que una rata – to be extremely poor

💡 Grammar Points

Position Changes Everything!

The meaning of 'pobre' changes depending on where you put it. Before a person or thing, it means 'unfortunate' or 'pitiful' (¡Pobre Juan!). After it, the word usually means 'lacking money' (Un hombre pobre).

Same for Him and Her

'Pobre' doesn't change for masculine or feminine things. You say 'un hombre pobre' and 'una mujer pobre'. Just add an 's' for plural: 'los niños pobres'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Sympathy vs. Money

Mistake: "Vi un hombre pobre en la calle. (when you mean you felt sorry for him)"

Correction: Vi a un pobre hombre en la calle. (To show you feel sympathy, put 'pobre' first. Saying 'hombre pobre' just describes his financial status.)

A humble adult figure wearing simple, patched clothing, sitting on a wooden bench and holding a small, empty tin bowl.

As a noun, un pobre refers to an individual, specifically a 'poor person' lacking sufficient resources.

pobre(Noun)

m/fB1

poor person

an individual lacking money

Also:

the poor

referring to poor people as a group (in plural form 'los pobres')

📝 In Action

Le dio una moneda a un pobre en la calle.

He gave a coin to a poor person on the street.

El gobierno tiene programas para ayudar a los pobres.

The government has programs to help the poor.

Word Connections

Synonyms

indigente (destitute person)
necesitado (needy person)

Antonyms

rico (rich person)

⭐ Usage Tips

Talking About Groups

You'll often hear 'los pobres' used with 'los' to talk about 'the poor' as a social group. The singular form, 'un pobre', refers to one individual.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: pobre

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence means 'The unfortunate man lost his keys' (you feel sorry for him)?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

pobreza(poverty) - noun

empobrecer(to impoverish, to become poor) - verb

pobretón(poor wretch (informal)) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the real difference between 'pobre hombre' and 'hombre pobre'?

It's all about placement and feeling! 'Pobre hombre' means you feel sorry for him ('the unfortunate man'). 'Hombre pobre' is a neutral description of his finances ('a man who is poor').

Can 'pobre' be used for things, not just people?

Yes, absolutely. You can say 'una cosecha pobre' for a 'poor harvest' (meaning small or low-quality) or 'mi pobre coche' for 'my poor car' (showing you feel bad that it's old or broken).