Meaning
To weep profusely and without comfort.
Cultural Background
In Spain, it is common to use this phrase in both news reports and casual conversation to describe emotional reactions to tragedies. Mexicans often use this phrase to describe the intensity of grief, especially during 'Día de los Muertos' or when remembering loved ones. Argentines are very expressive and use this phrase frequently in therapy or personal discussions about feelings. In Colombia, this phrase is often used in soap operas (telenovelas) to describe the dramatic moments of the protagonists.
Focus on the prefix
Remember 'des-' means 'no'. If you are 'des-consolado', you have no comfort.
Don't use for joy
Never use this for happy tears, it will sound very strange to a native speaker.
Meaning
To weep profusely and without comfort.
Focus on the prefix
Remember 'des-' means 'no'. If you are 'des-consolado', you have no comfort.
Don't use for joy
Never use this for happy tears, it will sound very strange to a native speaker.
Use with 'empezar a'
It sounds very natural to say 'Se puso a llorar desconsoladamente'.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct adverb.
Después de perder el partido, el equipo empezó a llorar __________.
The context of losing a game implies sadness, making 'desconsoladamente' the only logical choice.
Which sentence is correct?
Choose the best description for someone crying without stopping.
The phrase 'llorar desconsoladamente' specifically means crying without stopping due to sorrow.
Complete the dialogue.
A: ¿Por qué está llorando el niño? B: Se cayó y está __________.
A child falling and crying fits the definition of 'llorar desconsoladamente'.
Match the situation to the phrase.
Someone is at a funeral and cannot stop crying.
Grief at a funeral is a classic scenario for this idiom.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesDespués de perder el partido, el equipo empezó a llorar __________.
The context of losing a game implies sadness, making 'desconsoladamente' the only logical choice.
Choose the best description for someone crying without stopping.
The phrase 'llorar desconsoladamente' specifically means crying without stopping due to sorrow.
A: ¿Por qué está llorando el niño? B: Se cayó y está __________.
A child falling and crying fits the definition of 'llorar desconsoladamente'.
Someone is at a funeral and cannot stop crying.
Grief at a funeral is a classic scenario for this idiom.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, animals can also 'llorar desconsoladamente' if they are in pain or scared.
It is neutral. It works in both casual and formal settings.
'Llorar mucho' just means crying a lot. 'Llorar desconsoladamente' adds the nuance that the person cannot be comforted.
Yes, it's common in texts to show deep empathy.
Mostly, but can be used for pets in a poetic way.
Yes, it is almost exclusively for sadness or grief.
It is grammatically correct as an adjective, but 'desconsoladamente' is the standard adverbial form.
Break it down: des-con-so-la-da-MEN-te.
Yes, 'llorar a mares' or 'deshacerse en llanto'.
Yes, it is universally understood.
Related Phrases
Llorar a mares
synonymTo cry a lot
Deshacerse en llanto
similarTo melt into tears
Llorar a lágrima viva
similarTo cry with visible tears
Estar desconsolado
builds onTo be inconsolable
