English to Spanish

Bad in Spanish

The Spanish word for 'bad' is 'malo', pronounced MAH-loh (IPA: /ˈmalo/). It is an A1-level adjective and must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes (masculine plural: malos).

Pronunciation: MAH-loh

Spanishmalo
PronunciationMAH-loh · /ˈmalo/
Part of speechadjective
Pluralmalos
LevelA1 (beginner-friendly)

Example Sentences with 'malo'

  • Es una mala idea salir con esta lluvia.
    It's a bad idea to go out in this rain.
  • Hace mal tiempo hoy.
    The weather is bad today.
  • Tengo malas noticias.
    I have bad news.
  • Estos plátanos están malos; tíralos.
    These bananas have gone bad; throw them out.

Common Phrases with 'malo'

  • de mal humor
    in a bad mood
  • no está mal
    it's not bad

How to Use 'malo'

Shortens to 'mal' before a masculine singular noun: un mal día. Ser malo = bad in quality or character (even 'evil'); estar malo = spoiled (food) or sick (especially in Spain: estoy malo = I'm ill).

Related Vocabulary

Keep going: review gender and articles in Spanish.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say 'bad' in Spanish?

'Bad' in Spanish is 'malo', pronounced MAH-loh.

How do you spell 'malo'?

It is spelled m-a-l-o.

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