maldita sea
/malˌdita ˈsea/
The Spanish phrase for 'darn' is maldita sea.
Maldita sea is used as an interjection to express frustration, anger or annoyance at a situation.
Meaning: Translations (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
Thus, the phrase literally translates to 'cursed be it'.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an impersonal exclamation, maldita sea is fixed and does not change its form based on the gender or number of the subject being discussed.
How do you pronounce it?
/malˌdita ˈsea/
Did you know?
- In highly religious households, maldita sea is viewed as a heavy spiritual act of invoking a curse, making it far more offensive than the English 'darn'.
- The word maldita shares a linguistic root with the English word 'maledict', which means to speak evil of someone or something.
- Because maldita sea uses the subjunctive mood, it functions as a command to the universe rather than a simple complaint. You are effectively ordering the situation to be cursed.
Examples in context
- No puedo ir a la fiesta esta noche. ¡Maldición!I can't go to the party tonight. Darn it!
- ¡Maldita sea, perdí mis llaves!Darn, I lost my keys!
- Maldita sea la lluvia.Darn this rain.
- ¡Maldita sea, ya es muy tarde!Darn, it is already too late!
Example conversation
Javier realizes he forgot his wallet at home.
- Javier¡Maldita sea, olvidé mi cartera!Darn, I forgot my wallet!
- Sofía¿La dejaste en la mesa, Javier?Did you leave it on the table, Javier?
- JavierSí, creo que sí.Yes, I think so.
- SofíaNo te preocupes, yo la busco.Don't worry, I will look for it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry maldita sea, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
