Inklingo

How to Say "unskilled" in Spanish

English → Spanish

incompetente

/een-kom-peh-TEN-teh//inkompeˈtente/

adjectiveB1formal
Use 'incompetente' when referring to someone who lacks the necessary skills, training, or ability to perform a specific job or task effectively.
A chef looking confused while holding a whisk and a bowl of spilled flour.

Examples

El nuevo empleado demostró ser incompetente en el manejo de la maquinaria pesada.

The new employee proved to be unskilled in operating the heavy machinery.

No quiero ser grosero, pero el servicio en este hotel es incompetente.

I don't want to be rude, but the service at this hotel is incompetent.

La empresa perdió dinero por una gestión incompetente.

The company lost money due to incompetent management.

Se siente frustrada porque su jefe es totalmente incompetente.

She feels frustrated because her boss is totally incompetent.

One Form for Everyone

This word ends in -e, which means it doesn't change based on gender. You use 'incompetente' for both men and women.

Describing Personality with 'Ser'

Since being incompetent is usually seen as a personal characteristic or a state of being, we almost always use it with the verb 'ser' (to be).

The 'Incompetenta' Error

Mistake: “Ella es incompetenta.”

Correction: Ella es incompetente. Words ending in -e in Spanish usually stay the same for both genders.

malo

/MAH-loh//'malo/

adjectiveB1general
Use 'malo' in a broader sense to describe something or someone as generally bad, lacking quality, or having a negative impact, rather than specifically lacking job skills.
A cartoon character failing to hit a large target with a tennis ball, missing widely.

Examples

Necesitamos contratar personal con experiencia, no gente mala para el trabajo.

We need to hire experienced staff, not unskilled people for the job.

Fumar es malo para la salud.

Smoking is harmful to your health.

Soy muy malo para recordar nombres.

I'm very bad at remembering names.

Mi hermano es malo jugando al tenis.

My brother is bad at playing tennis.

Structure for 'Bad At'

To say you're bad at something, use the pattern 'ser malo para' + [the thing] or 'ser malo' + [an action ending in -ando/-iendo]. For example, 'Soy malo para el fútbol' or 'Soy malo jugando al fútbol'.

Choosing Between 'Incompetente' and 'Malo'

Learners often confuse 'incompetente' and 'malo' when translating 'unskilled'. Remember that 'incompetente' is specifically for lacking the ability or training for a task, while 'malo' is a more general term for bad or poor quality, not usually used for job skills unless implying overall poor performance.

Related Translations

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