What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of 'dirty mind', where mente means 'mind' and sucia means 'dirty'.
Which one should you use?
While mente sucia is a common way to express the concept, other forms exist depending on the desired nuance: mente cochina specifically refers to dirty or vulgar thoughts, mente pervertida translates directly to 'perverted mind' and pensamientos lascivos is a formal way to describe thoughts or ideas with a sexual connotation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain and Latin America, the phrase mente cochina is commonly used. In Mexico, the colloquial expression mente guarrona is used to refer to a person with a dirty or raunchy mind.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because mente is a feminine noun, the adjective must take the feminine form sucia. The plural form of the phrase is mentes sucias. In natural Spanish, it is very common to include the definite article la when using the phrase in the idiom tener la mente sucia (to have a dirty mind).
How do you pronounce it?
/mente suθja/
Did you know?
- Instead of using a noun phrase, Spanish speakers often use the single verb malpensar to describe the act of interpreting a neutral comment as something sexual.
- The word mente did not evolve naturally from Old Spanish but was reintroduced as a 'semi-learned' borrowing from the Latin mentem.
- Accusing someone of having a mente sucia is frequently accompanied by a playful shake of the head or a smile to signal it is a social joke.
Examples in context
- Tiene mente sucia.He has a dirty mind.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use mente sucia in a simple statement.Tatoeba #10794428 by JSKabylie, translation #13048377 by araneo
- María tiene una imaginación picante y siempre encuentra una doble interpretación en todo.Maria has a spicy imagination and always finds a double meaning in everything.
- ¡No digas eso! Tienes una mente cochina.Don't say that! You have a dirty mind.
- Siempre estás haciendo chistes subidos de tono. ¡Vaya mente pervertida que tienes!You are always making suggestive jokes. What a perverted mind you have!
- Tu mente sucia no deja de imaginar cosas.Your dirty mind won't stop imagining things.
- Ese chiste es solo para gente con mente sucia.That joke is only for people with a dirty mind.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are laughing while watching a comedy show.
- Javier¡Ese comentario fue muy pesado!That comment was very heavy!
- ElenaNo es culpa mía, es que tienes mente sucia, Javier.It is not my fault, it is just that you have a dirty mind, Javier.
- Javier¡No, yo no dije nada malo!No, I didn't say anything bad!
- ElenaLo que piensas dice mucho de ti.What you think says a lot about you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mente, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
