How to Say "to pity" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to pity” is “compadecer” — B2 level.
Examples
Yo compadezco a las personas que no tienen un lugar donde vivir.
I pity people who do not have a place to live.
Es imposible no compadecerse de su triste situación.
It is impossible not to feel sorry for their sad situation.
No me compadezcas, solo ayúdame a solucionar el problema.
Don't pity me, just help me solve the problem.
The 'Z' spelling change
For verbs like this ending in -ecer, when you have an 'o' or 'a' coming next, the 'c' changes to 'zc' to keep the sound soft. For example, 'yo compadezco' instead of 'compadeco'.
Using the 'de' connector
If you use the reflexive version (compadecerse), you must follow it with the word 'de' to indicate who or what you are feeling sorry for.
Missing the 'Z'
Mistake: “Yo compadeco a mi amigo.”
Correction: Yo compadezco a mi amigo. (Remember to add the 'z' in the first-person present form!)
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