Significado
Used to express sadness or disappointment about a situation.
Contexto cultural
British speakers use 'What a shame' frequently as a polite conversational filler. It doesn't always mean they are deeply sad; it's often just a way to acknowledge what you said. Americans might use 'That's too bad' or 'Bummer' more often in casual speech, reserving 'What a shame' for slightly more poignant or ironic situations. Australians often use 'What a shame' but might follow it with a more casual 'No worries' to keep the mood light. In international business, 'What a shame' is a safe, neutral way to express regret without taking legal or personal responsibility for a problem.
The Sincerity Check
Use a falling intonation to sound sincere. A rising intonation can sound like you're being sarcastic or don't really care.
The Tragedy Limit
Never use this for death or serious illness. It's for 'ice cream dropped' problems, not 'life changed' problems.
Significado
Used to express sadness or disappointment about a situation.
The Sincerity Check
Use a falling intonation to sound sincere. A rising intonation can sound like you're being sarcastic or don't really care.
The Tragedy Limit
Never use this for death or serious illness. It's for 'ice cream dropped' problems, not 'life changed' problems.
The 'That' Clause
To sound more fluent, add a 'that' clause: 'What a shame that...' This makes your English sound more structured and advanced.
Teste-se
Choose the best response to the following news.
Friend: 'I forgot to bring my camera to the beautiful park today.'
'What a shame!' is the correct idiomatic response to a minor disappointment.
Complete the sentence with the correct words.
It's a ______ that you have to work on your birthday.
Both 'shame' and 'pity' work perfectly in this 'It's a...' structure.
Match the situation to the most appropriate use of 'What a shame'.
Which situation is NOT appropriate for 'What a shame'?
'What a shame' is too light for a major tragedy like losing a home.
🎉 Pontuação: /3
Recursos visuais
When to use 'What a shame'
Use it for...
- • Rainy days
- • Cancelled plans
- • Losing a game
- • Broken toys
Don't use it for...
- • Death
- • Serious illness
- • Major accidents
- • Personal insults
Banco de exercicios
3 exerciciosFriend: 'I forgot to bring my camera to the beautiful park today.'
'What a shame!' is the correct idiomatic response to a minor disappointment.
It's a ______ that you have to work on your birthday.
Both 'shame' and 'pity' work perfectly in this 'It's a...' structure.
Which situation is NOT appropriate for 'What a shame'?
'What a shame' is too light for a major tragedy like losing a home.
🎉 Pontuação: /3
Perguntas frequentes
4 perguntasNo, it is generally very polite and empathetic. It only becomes rude if used sarcastically or for a very serious tragedy.
Yes, they are interchangeable. 'What a pity' is slightly more common in the UK than in the US.
Both are fine. 'What a shame!' is a quicker reaction. 'It's a shame that...' is better for longer sentences.
Yes, it's fine for minor issues like a rescheduled meeting. For bigger business failures, use 'regrettable'.
Frases relacionadas
That's a pity
synonymUsed to express disappointment.
Bummer
similarA disappointing situation.
Shame on you
contrastYou should feel guilty.
A crying shame
specialized formA very great pity.
