¡Qué pena!: the two-word apology that means different things on each side of the Atlantic

In Mexico it's how you say sorry for bumping someone. In Spain it's a shame the match was cancelled.

Pena covers embarrassment, awkwardness and mild sorrow at once, and Mexico and Central America lean hard on it. ¡Qué pena! is what you say when you step on a foot, arrive late, or have to ask for something twice. Me da pena is "I'm embarrassed to". ¡Qué pena contigo! is the full apology for putting someone out. It's light, warm and constant; you'll hear it a dozen times a day.

In Spain, pena means sadness or pity, so ¡qué pena! is "what a shame" and the embarrassment word is vergüenza: me da vergüenza. Both are understood everywhere, but if you're learning for Mexico, pena is the one to make automatic.

Where lo siento fits: real regret, bad news, a genuine apology. Saying lo siento mucho for a bump in the metro sounds like you've run over the person's dog. Save it, and use perdón or qué pena for the small stuff.

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