What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a combination of the gerund portándose (behaving oneself) and the adverb mal (badly).
Which one should you use?
You may also use comportarse mal, where the verb comportarse is a more formal synonym for portarse in the phrase comportarse mal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and some Central American countries, one might say Estoy haciendo desmanes en la fiesta to mean I'm misbehaving at the party. In Argentina and parts of South America, one might say Estoy haciendo lío to mean I'm causing trouble.
How does it change in a sentence?
The infinitive form portarse mal is used to express the concept of 'to behave badly' in a general sense. To say 'he/she is behaving badly' or 'he/she behaves badly', you use the conjugated form se porta mal.
How do you pronounce it?
/poɾtandose mal/
Did you know?
- In some contexts, portarse mal can be used as a playful or flirtatious euphemism between adults, shifting the meaning from 'rude' to 'naughty'.
- The verb portarse comes from the word for 'carrying' or 'bearing', suggesting that behaving is literally how one 'carries' themselves in public.
- The word mal shares a distant linguistic ancestor, the Proto-Indo-European root '*(s)mel-', which is the same root that leads to the English word 'malice'.
Examples in context
- Su hijo se está comportando mal en el colegioHis/Her child is behaving badly at school
- El empleado está actuando de manera inapropiada durante las reunionesThe employee is behaving inappropriately during the meetings
- El político mostró una conducta reprobable en su discursoThe politician displayed reprehensible behavior in his/her speech
- Mis hermanos se están portando mal en el centro comercialMy siblings are behaving badly at the mall
- Los adolescentes están armando jaleo en la plazaThe teenagers are causing a commotion in the square
- Los pequeños están haciendo travesuras en el parqueThe little ones are misbehaving in the park
- El niño está portándose mal en la escuela.The boy is behaving badly at school.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are discussing their children's behavior at a party.
- DanielMira a los niños, se están portando mal.Look at the children, they are behaving badly.
- MaríaTienes razón, Daniel. Debemos hablar con ellos.You are right, Daniel. We should talk to them.
- DanielNo es normal que sigan portándose mal.It is not normal for them to keep behaving badly.
- MaríaLes diré que se sienten ahora mismo.I will tell them to sit down right now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
