How to Say ‘Oh, too bad, I was planning to go on Friday.’ in Mexican Spanish
Ay, qué lástima, yo pensaba ir el viernes.
eye keh LAHS-tee-mah yoh pen-SAH-bah eer el BYER-nes
[eye keh LAHS-tee-mah yoh pen-SAH-bah eer el BYER-nes]
🇲🇽 In Mexico: Ay, qué lástima is a soft, friendly way to show disappointment. It also gently invites the staff to suggest an alternative.
Phrase Breakdown
Ay, qué lástima,
eye keh LAHS-tee-mah
Oh, what a shame,
A very common expression of mild disappointment. Stress 'LAHS-tee-mah' on the first syllable.
Ay, qué lástima, no puedo ir.
Oh, what a shame, I can't go.
Words in this phrase
Ay
[eye]
oh
Exclamation of sympathy or disappointment.
Ay, qué mal que no hay agua caliente.
Oh, that's bad that there is no hot water.
qué
[keh]
what / how
Adds emphasis and warmth to the phrase, similar to how nice.
Al estrechar la mano, digo Qué gusto conocerte.
When shaking hands, I say how nice to meet you.
lástima
[LAHS-tee-mah]
pity / shame
Noun; with 'qué' it expresses disappointment.
Es una lástima que cierren.
It's a shame they're closing.
yo pensaba ir
yoh pen-SAH-bah eer
I was planning to go
This expresses a plan that is now in doubt. 'Pensaba' sounds like 'pen-SAH-bah'.
Yo pensaba ir mañana.
I was planning to go tomorrow.
Words in this phrase
yo
[yoh]
I
The speaker or writer referring to themselves.
Yo prefiero el té al café.
I prefer tea over coffee.
pensaba
[pen-SAH-bah]
I was planning / thinking
Imperfect of 'pensar'; with an infinitive means intending to.
Pensaba llamar mañana.
I was planning to call tomorrow.
ir
[eer]
to go / leave
Infinitive of 'ir'; with 'me' means to leave.
Quiero ir al mercado.
I want to go to the market.
el viernes.
el BYER-nes
on Friday.
Spanish uses 'el' with days where English uses 'on'. 'Viernes' sounds like 'BYEHR-nehs'.
Nos vemos el viernes.
See you on Friday.
Words in this phrase
el
[el]
the
Masculine singular definite article.
«El» acompaña al sustantivo en «El crecimiento».
“El” accompanies the noun in “The growth.”
viernes
[BYER-nes]
Friday
The day of the week following Thursday.
Tenemos una fiesta el 'viernes'.
We have a party on 'Friday'.
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