malcriado
/malˈkɾjado/
The English phrase "little brat" can be translated into Spanish as malcriado.
malcriado refers to a child who is badly behaved because they have been spoiled.
What does it mean word for word?
The word malcriado is a combination of mal, meaning badly and criado, meaning raised or nurtured.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase mocoso/a consentido/a is used to emphasize the idea of a spoiled little brat.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes based on gender and number. Use malcriada for a feminine little brat. For a group of boys or a mixed-gender group, use the masculine plural malcriados. If the group consists exclusively of female children, use the feminine plural malcriadas.
How do you pronounce it?
/malˈkɾjado/
Did you know?
- While malcriado refers to being spoiled, the word mocoso literally means 'snotty' or 'full of mucus'. It is used to call a child a brat by focusing on their physical grossness rather than their behavior.
- Calling an adult malcriado is a significant social slight in Spanish, as it implies they never learned basic human decency during their upbringing.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the root word criado can be used as a noun to mean a 'servant'.
Examples in context
- Ese niño es un malcriado.That boy is a little brat.
- No seas un malcriado con tus padres.Don't be a little brat to your parents.
- El hijo de la vecina es muy malcriado.The neighbor's son is a real little brat.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are watching children play in a park.
- ElenaMira a ese niño, es un malcriado.Look at that boy, he is a little brat.
- JavierSí, no escucha a sus padres.Yes, he doesn't listen to his parents.
- ElenaEs muy difícil tratar con un malcriado.It is very difficult to deal with a little brat.
- JavierTienes razón, Elena.You are right, Elena.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry malcriado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
