B1 Idiom 중립

Estar en la miseria

To be in poverty

To be extremely poor or in a state of destitution.

🌍

문화적 배경

In Spain, the phrase is often linked to the 'picaresca' literary tradition, where being poor was a way of life for many famous characters. Argentines often use 'estar en la lona' (from boxing) as a synonym, but 'estar en la miseria' remains the standard for serious economic talk. In Mexico, you might hear 'estar en la calle' (to be in the street) as a more common way to say someone has lost everything. Colombians might use 'estar en la olla' (to be in the pot) informally, but 'miseria' is used for more tragic or widespread poverty.

💡

Hyperbole is Key

Don't be afraid to use it for small things with friends; it makes you sound more native.

⚠️

Ser vs Estar

Never use 'ser'. It's the most common mistake for English speakers.

To be extremely poor or in a state of destitution.

💡

Hyperbole is Key

Don't be afraid to use it for small things with friends; it makes you sound more native.

⚠️

Ser vs Estar

Never use 'ser'. It's the most common mistake for English speakers.

💬

Regional Synonyms

Learn 'estar pelado' if you are in Spain or 'estar chiro' in Ecuador.

셀프 테스트

Complete the sentence with the correct form of the idiom.

Si pierdo mi trabajo, yo ________ en la miseria.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: estaré

We use 'estar' for states, and the future tense 'estaré' fits the conditional 'Si pierdo...'.

Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?

Select the correct option:

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Él está en la miseria.

The idiom requires 'estar', the preposition 'en', and the article 'la'.

Complete the dialogue with a logical response.

A: ¿Quieres ir de compras? B: No puedo, me he gastado todo el sueldo y...

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: ...estoy en la miseria.

The context of spending all your salary implies you are now broke.

Match the situation to the phrase.

A family loses their home in a flood.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Están en la miseria.

Losing a home is a classic situation for being 'en la miseria'.

🎉 점수: /4

시각 학습 자료

연습 문제 은행

4 연습 문제
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the idiom. Fill Blank B1

Si pierdo mi trabajo, yo ________ en la miseria.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: estaré

We use 'estar' for states, and the future tense 'estaré' fits the conditional 'Si pierdo...'.

Which sentence uses the idiom correctly? Choose A2

Select the correct option:

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Él está en la miseria.

The idiom requires 'estar', the preposition 'en', and the article 'la'.

Complete the dialogue with a logical response. dialogue_completion B1

A: ¿Quieres ir de compras? B: No puedo, me he gastado todo el sueldo y...

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: ...estoy en la miseria.

The context of spending all your salary implies you are now broke.

Match the situation to the phrase. situation_matching A2

A family loses their home in a flood.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Están en la miseria.

Losing a home is a classic situation for being 'en la miseria'.

🎉 점수: /4

자주 묻는 질문

4 질문

It depends on the context. It's not a swear word, but using it to mock someone's poverty is very offensive.

No, for that use 'estar muy triste' or 'sentirse miserable' (though the latter is rare).

'Pobreza' is the general term for poverty. 'Miseria' is extreme, absolute poverty.

Yes, it is universally understood across all 21 Spanish-speaking countries.

관련 표현

🔄

Estar a dos velas

synonym

To be broke (Spain)

🔗

No tener un duro

similar

To not have a cent

🔗

Estar en la abundancia

contrast

To be in abundance

🔗

Vivir al día

builds on

To live day to day

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