be miserable

[bi ˈmɪzərəbəl]
verb phrase
ser miserável; estar miserável; ser infeliz
1. to be in a state of great unhappiness, discomfort, or distress
She has been miserable since her boyfriend left.
Ela tem sido miserável desde que seu namorado foi embora.
2. to be in poor physical or mental condition; to suffer
He felt miserable with the flu all week.
Ele se sentiu miserável com a gripe durante toda a semana.
3. to be inadequate, meager, or of poor quality
They offered him a miserable salary for the job.
Eles ofereceram a ele um salário miserável pelo trabalho.
In Brazilian culture, expressing emotional states is common and accepted in both formal and informal contexts. The phrase 'estar uma bad' (being in a bad state) is increasingly popular among younger generations in urban areas. In the USA, this expression is frequently used to describe both emotional and physical discomfort, reflecting the American tendency to verbalize feelings.
NYC Slang
be in a funk; be bummed out; be down in the dumps
Synonyms / Sinônimos
be unhappybe depressedbe distressedsufferbe in painbe wretched
Antonyms / Antônimos
be happybe joyfulbe contentbe cheerfulbe delighted

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
estar miserável; ser infeliz
Most common usage in informal speech
Rio de Janeiro
estar numa bad; estar arrasado/arrasada
More colloquial and slang-heavy expression
São Paulo
estar de baixo astral; ser miserável
Mix of formal and informal usage
Portugal
estar miserável; estar desgraçado/desgraçada
Portuguese Portuguese may use 'desgraçado' more frequently

Related Words

miserymiserablemiserablyunhappinesssufferingdistress

Related Idioms & Phrases

make someone's life miserable
feel like death warmed over
be down in the dumps
be at the end of one's rope
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