malos
/MAH-lohs/
bad
Malos can describe things that are of low quality or spoiled, like these bad apples.
malos(adjective)
bad
?low quality, negative characteristic
poor
?inadequate
,awful
?describing weather or smells
📝 In Action
Los huevos estaban malos y tuvimos que tirarlos.
A1The eggs were bad (spoiled) and we had to throw them away.
Tuvimos unos días muy malos de lluvia la semana pasada.
A2We had some very bad days of rain last week.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Agreement
'Malos' is used when describing masculine things that are plural (more than one). If you were describing just one masculine thing, you'd use 'malo' or the shortened form 'mal'.
Placement is Flexible
Like many Spanish adjectives, 'malos' can go before or after the noun. Placing it after ('resultados malos') is more common; placing it before ('malos resultados') often adds emphasis.
⭐ Usage Tips
Shortening Rule
Remember that 'malo' shortens to 'mal' only when it's placed directly before a singular masculine noun (un mal día). This shortening doesn't happen when it's plural ('malos días').
When describing evil or having an immoral nature, malos means wicked.
malos(adjective)
wicked
?evil nature
naughty
?describing children's behavior
,malevolent
?intentions
📝 In Action
Los chicos eran muy malos en la escuela, siempre metiéndose en problemas.
B1The boys were very naughty at school, always getting into trouble.
Sus actos fueron descritos como malos y egoístas.
B2His acts were described as wicked and selfish.
In narrative contexts, los malos refers to the antagonists or 'the bad guys' in a story.
malos(noun)
the bad guys
?antagonists in a story
the villains
?fiction
,the wicked ones
?general reference
📝 In Action
En las películas de vaqueros, los buenos siempre ganan a los malos.
B1In cowboy movies, the good guys always beat the bad guys.
Los malos de la historia siempre tienen un plan complicado.
B2The villains of the story always have a complicated plan.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective as Noun
Spanish often uses an adjective (like 'malos') with the definite article 'los' to refer to a group of people who fit that description. 'Los malos' means 'the bad ones' (people).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: malos
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'malos' to refer to people?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'malos' related to the word 'enfermos' (sick)?
Yes, 'estar malo/a' is a common, often informal way to say 'to be sick or ill' in Spain, especially when referring to children. So, 'Ellos están malos' means 'They are sick.' However, in Latin America, 'enfermos' is much more common for this meaning.
When do I use 'malos' versus 'mal'?
'Mal' is the shortened version of 'malo' used only before a singular masculine noun (like 'un mal momento' - a bad moment). 'Malos' is used for ALL plural masculine nouns ('unos malos momentos' - some bad moments). 'Mal' can also be an adverb meaning 'badly' ('canta mal').