malo
“malo” means “bad” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
bad
Also: poor, lousy
📝 In Action
Este es un libro malo; no me gusta.
A1This is a bad book; I don't like it.
Tuve un mal día en el trabajo.
A2I had a bad day at work.
La película tiene un final muy malo.
A2The movie has a very bad ending.
evil, spoiled, sick
Also: mean, wicked
📝 In Action
El villano de la historia es un hombre muy malo.
A2The villain of the story is a very evil man.
No comas ese pollo, está malo.
A2Don't eat that chicken, it's spoiled.
Me siento un poco malo hoy, creo que tengo fiebre.
B1I feel a little sick today, I think I have a fever.
harmful, bad at
Also: unskilled
📝 In Action
Fumar es malo para la salud.
B1Smoking is harmful to your health.
Soy muy malo para recordar nombres.
B1I'm very bad at remembering names.
Mi hermano es malo jugando al tenis.
B1My brother is bad at playing tennis.
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: malo
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly says 'Today is a bad day'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word 'malus,' which meant 'bad,' 'evil,' or 'unlucky.' It's a very old word that has kept its core meaning for centuries.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the real difference between 'mal' and 'malo'?
'Malo' is the standard adjective. 'Mal' is just a shorter version of 'malo' that you must use when it's placed directly before a masculine, singular noun. Think of it like 'a' vs 'an' in English. For example, 'un mal coche' (a bad car), but 'el coche es malo' (the car is bad).
Can 'malo' mean 'sick'? I thought that was 'enfermo'.
Yes, it can! Using 'estar malo/a' is a very common and slightly more general way to say you are sick or unwell, especially in Spain. 'Estar enfermo/a' is also perfectly correct and maybe a little more specific. You can use both!
If I say 'Él es malo,' does that mean he's evil or just not a good person?
It can mean both, and you'd know from the context. It usually implies a strong negative judgment about his character. It could mean he's mean, unkind, or genuinely evil like a movie villain. It's a stronger statement than saying he's just 'not nice'.