pobre
Lemma Details
Translation: poor; unfortunate; wretched; needy; destitute
Part of Speech: adjective
Etymology: From Latin 'pauper' (poor, not wealthy), which comes from 'pau-' (little) and 'parere' (to produce). The English word 'poverty' shares this Latin root. The evolution from Latin 'pauper' to Spanish 'pobre' shows a common sound change pattern in Romance languages where the 'au' diphthong simplified to 'o' and the intervocalic 'p' softened to 'b'.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Es una familia pobre pero honrada.
It's a poor but honest family.
¡Pobre de mí! No tengo dinero.
Poor me! I don't have any money.
El pobre hombre perdió su trabajo.
The poor man lost his job.
Tiene una pobre opinión de sí mismo.
He has a poor opinion of himself.
¡Pobrecito! Está enfermo.
Poor thing! He's sick.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'poverty' in English, which shares the same Latin root.
- Remember the phrase 'poor be' to connect to 'pobre'.
- Associate with English 'impoverished' which has a similar meaning and sound pattern.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking cultures, 'pobre' can be used not only to describe economic status but also as an expression of sympathy ('¡Pobre de ti!') or pity. The diminutive forms 'pobrecito/a' are very commonly used to express compassion or tenderness toward someone experiencing misfortune.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Pobre' means 'poor' (lacking money or unfortunate), while 'poco' means 'little' or 'few' (small amount).
Confused word:
Tengo poco dinero para gastar.
I have little money to spend.
Notes: Both words can sometimes appear in similar contexts when discussing resources, but 'pobre' refers to a state of poverty while 'poco' simply indicates a small quantity.
Mnemonic: 'Pobre' ends with 'bre' like 'break' - being poor can break your finances. 'Poco' ends with 'co' like 'count' - it's about counting small amounts.
Explanation: 'Pobre' is an adjective meaning 'poor', while 'poder' is a verb meaning 'to be able to' or 'can'.
Confused word:
No puedo ayudarte ahora.
I can't help you now.
Notes: These words have completely different meanings and functions in sentences, but might be confused by beginners due to similar spelling.
Mnemonic: 'Poder' contains 'pod' which sounds like 'could' - both about ability. 'Pobre' contains 'rob' backwards - if you're robbed, you might become poor.