Cool MateFeel sorry for you vs Pity
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Feel sorry for you
Top 2,000 (common)
Pity
Top 2,000 (common)B2noun
| Feel sorry for you | Pity | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //fiːl ˈsɒri fə juː//🇺🇸 //fil ˈsɔri fɔr jə// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈpɪti/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈpɪti/"]/ |
| Meaning | I feel bad about your situation. | Feeling sorry for someone else's trouble or sadness. |
| Example | I really feel sorry for you after hearing your news. | It is a pity that you couldn't come to the party last night. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | feel sorry for someone, feel sorry about something, really feel sorry for | great, real, pity about, a bit of a pity, such a pity, what a pity, be filled with, be full of, feel, out of pity, without pity, pity for, a feeling of pity, a sense of pity, have pity on somebody |
| Antonyms | celebrate | indifference, apathy |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'feel sorry about' instead of 'feel sorry for'., Used inappropriately in formal situations., Omitted the object, saying only 'I feel sorry'. | 'Pity' is often confused with 'sympathy' - they are not interchangeable., Learners often misuse 'pity' as a verb instead of a noun, e.g., saying 'I pity' instead of 'I feel pity for'., It's incorrect to say 'I have pity on' - the correct phrase is 'I have pity for'. |
| Usage notes | Used to express sympathy; suitable in most situations but avoid in overly formal contexts. | Use 'pity' in situations where you sympathize with someone's difficulties. It's neutral but may sound formal in casual conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Feel sorry for you vs Pity
What's the difference between Feel sorry for you and Pity?
Feel sorry for you: I feel bad about your situation. Pity: Feeling sorry for someone else's trouble or sadness.
Can you show an example of each?
Feel sorry for you: I really feel sorry for you after hearing your news. Pity: It is a pity that you couldn't come to the party last night.
Can I use Feel sorry for you and Pity interchangeably?
Not always. Feel sorry for you and Pity are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.