How to Say "wicked" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “wicked” is “malo” — use 'malo' when referring to a literary or dramatic villain or an inherently bad character, similar to 'evil' or 'bad'..
malo
/MAH-loh//'malo/
Examples
El villano de la historia es un hombre muy malo.
The villain of the story is a very evil man.
No comas ese pollo, está malo.
Don't eat that chicken, it's spoiled.
Me siento un poco malo hoy, creo que tengo fiebre.
I feel a little sick today, I think I have a fever.
Using 'ser' vs. 'estar'
'Ser malo' describes a permanent quality, like a person's character ('Él es malo' - He is an evil person). 'Estar malo' describes a temporary state, like spoiled food ('La leche está mala') or being sick ('Estoy malo').
Mixing up 'ser' and 'estar'
Mistake: “La sopa es mala.”
Correction: La sopa está mala. If you mean the soup has gone bad, use 'estar'. Saying 'es mala' suggests the recipe itself is fundamentally bad.
malvado
/mal-VAH-do//malˈbaðo/
Examples
El dictador era famoso por sus actos malvados contra su propio pueblo.
The dictator was famous for his wicked acts against his own people.
Ella puso una sonrisa malvada cuando ganó la partida.
She put on an evil smile when she won the game.
Gender and Number Match
Remember that 'malvado' is an adjective, so it must change its ending to match the thing it describes. Use 'malvada' for feminine singular (la bruja malvada) and 'malvados/malvadas' for plural.
Confusing 'Malo' and 'Malvado'
Mistake: “Using 'malo' when you mean truly evil.”
Correction: 'Malo' usually means 'bad' or 'poor quality.' Use 'malvado' when you mean 'wicked' or 'evil' in a moral sense. 'Una manzana mala' (A bad apple) vs. 'Un hombre malvado' (A wicked man).
maldita
/mal-DEE-tah//malˈdita/
Examples
La leyenda cuenta la historia de una bruja maldita.
The legend tells the story of a cursed witch.
Creían que la casa estaba maldita y por eso nadie la compraba.
They believed the house was cursed, and that's why nobody would buy it.
Es una persona maldita, no tiene compasión por nadie.
She is a wicked person; she has no compassion for anyone.
Placement Changes Meaning
When 'maldita' comes after the thing it describes (e.g., 'la casa maldita'), it usually carries this more literal meaning of being cursed. This is the opposite of the frustration meaning, which comes before.
villano
/bee-YAH-noh//biˈʝano/
Examples
Fue una acción villana que nadie esperaba.
It was a wicked action that nobody expected.
Adjective Agreement
As an adjective (a describing word), 'villano' must match the person or thing it describes. Say 'un hombre villano' but 'una mujer villana'.
brutal
broo-TAHL/bɾuˈtal/
Examples
¡Ese concierto fue brutal! Tocaron mis canciones favoritas.
That concert was awesome! They played my favorite songs.
Tienes un coche brutal; ¿cuánto corre?
You have an amazing car; how fast does it go?
El dolor de cabeza que tengo es brutal.
The headache I have is intense (extreme).
Gender Invariable
'Brutal' is one of those adjectives that stays the same whether the noun is masculine or feminine: 'un coche brutal' (m.) and 'una película brutal' (f.).
Using 'Muy' with Slang
Mistake: “Muy brutal”
Correction: Just use 'brutal' on its own. Since 'brutal' already means 'extremely good,' adding 'muy' (very) is redundant and sounds unnatural in slang contexts.
Slang vs. Evil Meanings
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