mal novio
/mal nobjo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "bad boyfriend" is translated into Spanish as mal novio.
mal novio is used to describe a male partner in a romantic relationship who behaves poorly or treats their partner badly.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, the adjective mal is a shortened form of malo used specifically before a masculine singular noun.
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, someone might call a mal novio a tóxico to describe a partner who is emotionally draining or controlling, regardless of their literal behavior.
- The word novio shares the same root as the English word 'novel' because both come from the Latin novus, meaning 'new'.
- While mal novio describes a partner with poor behavior, the word novio is also the standard term for a 'groom' on a wedding day.
Examples in context
- Él es un mal novio.He is a bad boyfriend.
- No quiero ser un mal novio para ti.I don't want to be a bad boyfriend to you.
- Tu ex era un mal novio.Your ex was a bad boyfriend.
Example conversation
María and Mateo are talking about a friend's recent breakup.
- MaríaTu hermano fue un mal novio con ella.Your brother was a bad boyfriend to her.
- MateoSí, lo siento mucho.Yes, I am very sorry.
- MaríaElla merece algo mejor.She deserves something better.
- MateoTienes razón, María.You are right, María.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mal, novio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
