Lamentablemente, el perro está mojado.

Unfortunately, the dog is wet.

Breakdown of Lamentablemente, el perro está mojado.

• estar: to be
• el perro: the dog
• mojado: wet
• lamentablemente: unfortunately

Questions & Answers about Lamentablemente, el perro está mojado.

Why is it "lamentablemente" and not something like "desafortunadamente"?

Both lamentablemente and desafortunadamente mean unfortunately. However, lamentablemente can carry a slightly more emotional tone, suggesting regret or sadness. In contrast, desafortunadamente focuses more on the misfortune itself. They’re generally interchangeable, but lamentablemente emphasizes the speaker’s lament or sorrow about the situation.

How do I know when to use "está mojado" instead of "es mojado"?

In Spanish, estar is typically used for temporary conditions or states, while ser is used for permanent characteristics or inherent traits. Saying el perro está mojado indicates that the dog is currently wet (a temporary state), but it’s not always wet. If you said el perro es mojado, it would sound like you’re describing a permanent aspect of the dog, which doesn’t make sense in most contexts.

Why is it "el perro" rather than "la perro"?

El perro is masculine in Spanish because the word perro itself is masculine. If you were referring to a female dog, you would use the feminine form la perra. In general, nouns in Spanish have a set gender (masculine or feminine), which is reflected in the article el or la.

How do I correctly pronounce the rolled "r" in "perro"?

The double "rr" in Spanish requires a rolling or trilling sound. To produce it, place the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth, and let it vibrate as air passes through. Practice quickly tapping your tongue to encourage that trill. It may feel exaggerated at first, but with practice, it will sound natural.

Could I just say "Qué lástima" instead of "lamentablemente"?

Qué lástima (literally what a shame) is a more colloquial way to express regret or sympathy, often in conversation. Meanwhile, lamentablemente is typically used in more formal or neutral contexts. Both convey unhappiness about a situation, but lamentablemente is more like "unfortunately," whereas qué lástima is more like "that’s too bad."