Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Mi hermano es tímido y siente vergüenza cuando habla en público. - My brother is shy and feels embarrassed when he speaks in public.

Es tímido = He is shy (by nature / that’s his personality).
Está tímido = He is being shy right now (a temporary attitude, unusual for him), and even then it sounds a bit marked or child‑like.

Since shyness here is presented as part of his character, ser (es tímido) is the natural choice.

What does tímido mean exactly? Is it like "shy" or "timid"?

Tímido usually corresponds to shy in everyday English, not just “timid” in the stronger sense.

Mi hermano es tímido = My brother is shy (he doesn’t feel comfortable talking to people, especially strangers or groups).
It describes a personality trait, not fear of danger.

So tímido is the normal word for someone who’s socially shy.

Why do we say siente vergüenza instead of tiene vergüenza or está avergonzado?

All three exist, but they have slightly different nuances:

Siente vergüenza
- Literally: he feels shame/embarrassment.
- Focuses on the emotion he experiences at that moment.
- Very natural here: he feels embarrassed when he speaks in public.
Tiene vergüenza
- Literally: he has shame.
- In many places it can mean either:
  - he is shy / bashful (more of a trait), or
  - he is feeling embarrassed.
- Usage varies by region; in some areas tener vergüenza sounds more like having decency / being modest.
Está avergonzado
- He is embarrassed / ashamed (right now).
- Describes a current state, often after something happened:
  - Está avergonzado porque se equivocó.
    He’s embarrassed because he made a mistake.

In the original sentence, siente vergüenza fits well because it describes what he experiences whenever he speaks in public.

Is siente reflexive? Why not se siente vergüenza?

Siente here is not reflexive; it’s the normal verb sentir used with a direct object:

Sentir + noun:
- Siente vergüenza. → He feels shame/embarrassment.
- Siento miedo. → I feel fear.
Sentirse + adjective/adverb (reflexive):
- Se siente avergonzado. → He feels embarrassed.
- Me siento triste. → I feel sad.

Se siente vergüenza is incorrect. With vergüenza you use sentir vergüenza, not sentirse vergüenza.

What is the purpose of the ü in vergüenza, and how do you pronounce it?

The two dots are called diéresis (or crema). They tell you that the u must be pronounced.

Without ü, the combination gue is pronounced like ge (the u is silent):
- guerra → “GE-rra”.
With güe, the u is sounded: güe → “gwe”.

So vergüenza is pronounced roughly ver-GWEN-sa (IPA: /berˈɣwen.sa/).
The u is heard as part of that gw sound.

Why is it cuando habla and not cuando hable? I thought cuando often uses the subjunctive.

Cuando uses indicative or subjunctive depending on the meaning:

Indicative for habitual / present or past facts:
- Siente vergüenza cuando habla en público.
  He feels embarrassed when he speaks in public (whenever he does it; it’s a habit).
- It’s something that regularly happens.
Subjunctive for future or uncertain events:
- Sentirá vergüenza cuando hable en público.
  He will feel embarrassed when he speaks in public (in the future; it hasn’t happened yet).

In the given sentence, we’re talking about a general, habitual reaction, so indicative (habla) is correct.

Who is the subject of habla? Why don’t we say cuando él habla en público?

The subject of habla is still mi hermano.

Spanish is a “pro‑drop” language: subject pronouns (yo, tú, él, ella, etc.) are often omitted when the subject is clear from context and from the verb ending.

Mi hermano es tímido y siente vergüenza cuando habla en público.
→ The third‑person singular ending -a in habla matches mi hermano, so él is understood.

You could say cuando él habla en público for emphasis or contrast (e.g., he, not someone else), but normally it’s just omitted.

Why is it en público and not en el público or al público?

These expressions have different meanings:

En público
- = in public / in front of other people.
- Refers to the situation or setting, not a specific group.
- Hablar en público = to speak in public / public speaking.
- This is exactly what we want here.
En el público
- = in the audience (physically among the listeners).
- Would sound like he is sitting in the audience, not speaking to them.
Al público
- = to the public / to the audience (direction).
- Example: Habla al público con claridad. → He speaks to the audience clearly.

So en público is the natural choice for “when he speaks in public.”

Can the word order change, like Mi hermano es tímido y, cuando habla en público, siente vergüenza?

Yes, you can change the word order, and it’s still correct:

Mi hermano es tímido y siente vergüenza cuando habla en público.
Mi hermano es tímido y, cuando habla en público, siente vergüenza.

Both are natural. The second version slightly highlights the condition (the “when” part), but the meaning doesn’t really change. Spanish allows some flexibility in where you put clauses like cuando habla en público.

How would the sentence change if I were talking about my sister or about several siblings?

You must change gender and number agreement:

For sister (feminine singular):
- Mi hermana es tímida y siente vergüenza cuando habla en público.
For brothers / mixed group of siblings (masculine plural):
- Mis hermanos son tímidos y sienten vergüenza cuando hablan en público.
For only sisters (feminine plural):
- Mis hermanas son tímidas y sienten vergüenza cuando hablan en público.

Notice how mi → mis, hermano → hermana(s), es → son, tímido → tímida / tímidos / tímidas, and habla → hablan all change to match the subject.

Is vergüenza always something strong, like “shame,” or can it also mean “embarrassment”?

Vergüenza covers both “shame” and “embarrassment”, depending on context:

Moral / ethical shame:
- No tiene vergüenza. → He has no shame / he’s shameless.
Social embarrassment or feeling self‑conscious:
- Siente vergüenza cuando habla en público.
  → He feels embarrassed when he speaks in public.

In your sentence, vergüenza is clearly embarrassment or shyness in social situations, not deep moral shame.

Are there other natural ways in Latin American Spanish to say someone is shy about speaking in public?

Yes. The original sentence is good and natural, but here are some very common Latin American alternatives:

Mi hermano es tímido y le da vergüenza hablar en público.
→ My brother is shy and it embarrasses him / he’s embarrassed to speak in public.
Mi hermano es tímido y le da pena hablar en público.
→ My brother is shy and he feels shy/embarrassed speaking in public.
(Pena often means “embarrassment” in many Latin American countries.)
Mi hermano es tímido y se pone nervioso cuando tiene que hablar en público.
→ My brother is shy and he gets nervous when he has to speak in public.

All of these sound very natural in Latin America.