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"Pena" is a form of "pena", a noun which is often translated as "pity". "Llantén" is a noun which is often translated as "plantain". Learn more about the difference between "llantén" and "pena" below.
el llantén(
yahn
-
tehn
)A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
1. (botany)
a. plantain
Siempre que tenía cólico, mi abuela me preparaba una infusión de llantén.Whenever I had a colic, my granmother would make me a plantain tea.
2. (colloquial) (crying) (Caribbean) (Venezuela)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in the Caribbean: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico
Regionalism used in Venezuela
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
El bebé amaneció con un llantén, como si le doliera algo, pero ahora parece que está bien.The baby woke up crying, as if he was in pain, but he seems to be OK now.
La niña tenía un llantén porque su padre no le quería comprar un juguete.The girl was sobbing because her father wouldn't buy her a toy.
la pena(
peh
-
nah
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
1. (sympathy)
c. sad (adjective)
Sentí mucha pena cuando se murió mi actor preferido.I felt really sad when my favorite actor died.
Me da mucha pena verlos partir.It makes me so sad to see them leave.
2. (sadness)
a. sorrow
Comparto la pena de los afectados por el terrorismo.I share the sorrow of those affected by terrorism.
4. (legal)
6. (humiliation) (Caribbean) (Central America) (Colombia) (Mexico)
Regionalism used in the Caribbean: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Colombia
Regionalism used in Mexico
