Does "penosa" mean painful or embarrassing?
I don't remember how I stumbled upon "penosa" but it was when either searching for translation for "painful" or "depressing". But my friend's experience with "penosa" is associated with embarrassing. Is it a regional difference or I somehow got the wrong word?

Example sentence that I was trying to make at the time.
Mi vida está muy penosa.

I was trying to express that I have been having a difficult time so it has been very stressing/hard for me.

Gracias.

Question

Does "penosa" mean painful or embarrassing?
I don't remember how I stumbled upon "penosa" but it was when either searching for translation for "painful" or "depressing". But my friend's experience with "penosa" is associated with embarrassing. Is it a regional difference or I somehow got the wrong word?

Example sentence that I was trying to make at the time. 
Mi vida está muy penosa.

I was trying to express that I have been having a difficult time so it has been very stressing/hard for me.

Gracias.

Answer

"Penosa" comes from the word "pena" and "pena" is a deep sadness. If you want to say "Mi vida es penosa", you are expressing that your life is very sad lately.

We would said that when somebody failed at something, for example. "No consigo trabajo, mi vida es penosa".

Answer

en el contexto que indicas, la expresión está bien dicha.
Mi vida es (o está) penosa. ( en este momento por diversas causas).
la traducción al ingles puedes ser painful.

pero también se puede decir como vergonzoso  (embarrasing).
por ejemplo.
Lo que hace el gobierno con tanto paro es penoso (vergonzoso).

Answer

Penoso = pathetic.

Answer

Shameful