Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mala sangre | /mala sanɡɾe/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| mala leche | /ˌmala ˈlet͡ʃe/ | feminine |
| mala uva | /mala uba/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
Spanish speakers use these terms to describe hostility, resentment or ill will. While mala sangre describes long-standing resentment or hostility between people, other expressions can specify the type of friction. For example, you might use mal rollo to describe a sense of tension or animosity or the idiom llevarse como el perro y el gato to say that people get along like cats and dogs. If there are unresolved issues between parties, you can say they tener una cuenta pendiente.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mala sangre is a literal translation of 'bad blood', where mala means bad and sangre means blood.
Which one should you use?
While mala sangre refers to a long-standing feud or ill will, mala leche is used specifically to describe someone's bad intentions or a person's malicious nature. Mala uva is another form available for this concept.
How does it change in a sentence?
All three forms provided, mala sangre, mala leche and mala uva, are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/mala sanɡɾe/
Did you know?
- While mala leche describes malice, the word leche is also used in common slang to mean 'luck' or a 'hit' in the face.
- The word sangre comes from the Latin sanguis, which is also the root of the English word 'sanguine' used to describe a cheerful person.
- The word leche in the phrase mala leche comes from the Late Latin word lactem, making it a distant linguistic relative of the English word 'lactate'.
Examples in context
- Después del conflicto, el rencor entre ambas familias era evidente.After the conflict, the bad blood between both families was evident.
- Desde aquel incidente, hay un mal rollo constante entre ellos.Since that incident, there's constant bad blood between them.
- Los hermanos siempre tienen mala onda entre ellos.The siblings always have bad blood between them.
- Hay una mala onda evidente entre los compañeros de trabajo.There's an evident bad blood between coworkers.
- Después de años de conflicto, todavía tienen una cuenta pendiente.After years of conflict, they still have outstanding issues.
- Se llevan como el perro y el gato, siempre con mala sangre.They get along like cats and dogs, always with bad blood.
- Hay mala sangre entre los dos vecinos.There is bad blood between the two neighbors.
Example conversation
Javier and María are talking about two colleagues who are fighting.
- JavierParece que hay mala sangre entre Luis y Ana.It seems like there is bad blood between Luis and Ana.
- MaríaSí, ya no se hablan desde el lunes.Yes, they haven't spoken to each other since Monday.
- Javier¿Crees que puedan resolver sus problemas pronto?Do you think they can resolve their problems soon?
- MaríaNo lo sé, la situación es muy tensa.I don't know, the situation is very tense.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bad blood” translations and entries mala sangre, mala leche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries leche, mala, mala leche, sangre, uva, CC BY-SA 4.0.
