Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«Mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos.»
Word for word
Illness of many, consolation of fools.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: Others' misery is a fool's comfort.
Used to reject the idea that shared misfortune makes it less bad, often said when someone excuses a problem by noting others have it too. Slightly dismissive or ironic in tone.
Hear it in a sentence
No me consuela que todos hayan suspendido; mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos.
It doesn't comfort me that everyone failed; misery of many, consolation of fools.
More Spanish sayings
- Dios los cría y ellos se juntan. — Birds of a feather flock together.
- Quien no te conozca, que te compre. — I know you too well to be fooled.
- Las penas con pan son menos. — Troubles are lighter on a full stomach.
- Unos nacen con estrella y otros nacen estrellados. — Some are born lucky, others are born unlucky.
- Los niños y los borrachos siempre dicen la verdad. — Children and drunkards always tell the truth.
Why learn dichos?
Proverbs like this one are everywhere in spoken Spanish — dropped mid-conversation, usually just the first half, with the rest left for you to complete. Recognizing them is one of the fastest ways to sound less like a textbook and follow real speech. Every Lingocito edition signs off with the dicho del día, so you meet one a day next to news written at your level.