A2🔤 Letters O & P
Italian word
pena
sorrow, pity; penalty, punishment; effort ('vale la pena' = it's worth it)
Looks like
pain
physical or emotional suffering
⚠️ The trap
The physical pain of a headache or injury is 'dolore' in Italian, not 'pena'. 'Pena' refers to sorrow, pity, or a legal penalty. The phrase 'che pena!' means 'how sad/pathetic!' — not 'what pain!'
To say "physical or emotional suffering" in Italian:
dolore (physical pain); pena (sorrow/punishment)
"pena" in English means:
sorrow, pity; penalty, punishment; effort ('vale la pena' = it's worth it)
Example
"Vale la pena visitare questo museo."
"It's worth visiting this museum."
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