WordReference English-Spanish Dictionary © 2025:
| Principal Translations |
| penar⇒ vtr | (castigar a alguien) | punish⇒ vtr |
| | Penaron al secuestrador con diez años de cárcel. |
| | The kidnapper was punished with ten years in prison. |
| penar vtr | (Derecho: considerar delito) | penalize⇒ vtr |
| | | make [sth] a criminal offense v expr |
| | El Gobierno propuso penar la corrupción. |
| penar vi | formal (padecer, sufrir) | brood⇒, suffer⇒ vi |
| | (US: emotional) | agonize⇒ vi |
| | (UK: emotional) | agonise⇒ vi |
| Note: Used with the word "over". |
| | El viejo penaba por el futuro de sus nietos. |
| | The old man brooded over the future of his grandchildren. |
| Additional Translations |
| penar vi | (alma en purgatorio: sufrir) | be in torment v expr |
| | Su alma penaría por toda la eternidad. |
| | Her soul would be in torment for all of eternity. |
| penar por vi + prep | literario (ansiar algo) (before a verb) | pine to, yearn to long to vi + prep |
| | (before a noun) | pine for, yearn for long for vi + prep |
| Note: Used with the word "over" or "for". |
| | El caballero penaba por volver a ver a su amada. |
| | The knight pined to see his beloved again. |