chica mala
/t͡ʃika mala/from spelling rules
The English phrase bad girl is translated into Spanish as chica mala.
The phrase chica mala is used for a girl or woman who behaves badly or breaks rules. While it can refer to someone who is morally bad, it is also frequently used in a flirtatious or provocative context, much like in English.
Which one should you use?
If you are referring specifically to a young child rather than a teenager or an adult, you should use niña mala instead of chica mala. Other variations change the tone: niña traviesa or chica traviesa emphasize playful, mischievous behavior, while chica pícara describes someone who is sly, crafty or seductive.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you may encounter the term chica canalla to refer to someone who is mischievous or even wicked.
How do you pronounce it?
/tʃika mala/
Did you know?
- The word mala has a completely different meaning when used as a noun to describe an object, referring to a 'large suitcase' or 'trunk'.
- In Caribbean dialects, the word diabla is often used instead of chica mala to imply the woman is a temptress or a troublemaker.
- In some Spanish speaking contexts, describing a woman as mala can be a paradoxical compliment, implying she is powerful, independent and assertive.
Examples in context
- No me mires así, eres una chica mala.Don't look at me like that, you're a bad girl.
- Alicia es una chica canalla que nunca sigue las reglas.Alicia is a wicked girl who never follows the rules.
- Ella es una chica mala.She is a bad girl.
- No seas una chica mala.Don't be a bad girl.
- Esa chica mala siempre rompe las reglas.That bad girl always breaks the rules.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are joking around at a party.
- MateoLucía, eres una chica mala.Lucía, you are a bad girl.
- Lucía¡No soy una chica mala!I am not a bad girl!
- MateoTe portaste muy mal hoy.You behaved very badly today.
- LucíaSolo me divertí un poco.I just had a little fun.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mala, CC BY-SA 4.0.
