gato malo
/ɡato malo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "bad cat" is translated as gato malo.
The phrase is used to describe a cat that behaves poorly or is unkind. When you are actively scolding a cat for its behavior, you would typically use the phrase as an exclamation: ¡Gato malo!
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the noun gato (cat) and the adjective malo (bad).
Which one should you use?
The slang term Gato malote is a playful and affectionate way to call a cat "bad".
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the phrase changes based on the gender and number of the cats: • For a single female cat, use the feminine forms gata mala. • For a group of male cats or a mixed-gender group, use the masculine plural form gatos malos. • For a group consisting only of female cats, use the feminine plural form gatas malas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡato malo/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word gato is a homonym for a type of 'cake', which was borrowed from the French word gâteau.
- The word malo can also mean 'sick' or 'unwell', so gato malo could be used to describe a cat that is physically ill.
- The suffix in malote adds an intensifying but often ironic tone, turning 'bad' into something more like 'naughty' or 'rebellious'.
Examples in context
- ¡Mi gato es muy malo! Ha destrozado las cortinas de nuevo.My cat is so bad! It has torn down the curtains again.
- Ten cuidado con ese gato travieso, siempre está metiendo las patitas donde no debe.Be careful with that mischievous cat, it's always poking its paws where it shouldn't.
- ¡Mira a ese gato desobediente subido en la mesa! No debería estar allí.Look at that disobedient cat on the table! It shouldn't be there.
- Ese gato malo rompió el jarrón.That bad cat broke the vase.
- ¿Por qué eres un gato malo?Why are you a bad cat?
- No me gusta ese gato malo.I don't like that bad cat.
Example conversation
María and Mateo are looking at their pet after he scratched the sofa.
- María¡Mira lo que hizo el gato malo!Look what the bad cat did!
- MateoEs verdad, es un gato malo.It's true, he is a bad cat.
- MaríaNo puedo creerlo, Mateo.I can't believe it, Mateo.
- MateoDebemos comprarle un juguete nuevo.We should buy him a new toy.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gato, malo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
