Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| mala mía | /ˌmala ˈmia/ |
| perdón | /peɾˈdon/ |
| culpa mía | /kulpa mia/ (from spelling rules) |
| fallo mío | /faʝo mio/ (from spelling rules) |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mala mía literally translates to 'bad mine'.
Which one should you use?
Mala mía is a colloquial expression. In contrast, culpa mía is more standard and is suitable for more serious or formal contexts when admitting responsibility. Perdón is a general apology for an action or an interruption, whereas mala mía specifically focuses on admitting the mistake was yours. Additionally, fallo mío translates to 'my error' or 'my failure'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Mala mía is an informal, colloquial way to admit a mistake, similar to the English 'my bad'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the variation Perdón por la metida de pata is used to apologize for a mistake.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase fallo mío uses the masculine noun fallo (error/failure), so it must be paired with the masculine possessive mío rather than the feminine mía.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌmala ˈmia/
Did you know?
- In some contexts, the word fallo doesn't just mean a mistake, but also refers to a formal legal verdict or a court's final decision.
- The phrase mala mía is particularly common in Caribbean Spanish, where it reflects a linguistic influence from English-speaking regions.
- Because mala mía is so informal, using it with a boss or a stranger might come across as dismissive or even rude rather than a polite apology.
Examples in context
- Culpa mía.My bad.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase culpa mía.Tatoeba #500426 by Shishir, translation #629816 by Snout
- Mis disculpas por llegar tardeMy apologies for arriving late
- Fue mi culpa, lo sientoIt was my fault, I'm sorry
- Mis disculpas por no enviar el informe a tiempoMy apologies for not sending the report on time
- Fue mi culpa, no debería haber hecho esoIt was my fault, I shouldn't have done that
- Mala mía, no vi que venías.My bad, I didn't see you coming.
- Se me olvidó llamarte, mala mía.I forgot to call you, my bad.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía accidentally knocks Mateo's drink off the table.
- Lucía¡Ay! Mala mía, Mateo.Oh! My bad, Mateo.
- MateoNo pasa nada, Lucía.It's okay, Lucía.
- LucíaLo siento mucho, lo voy a limpiar.I am very sorry, I will clean it up.
- MateoTranquila, no te preocupes.Relax, don't worry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my bad” translations and entries mala mía, perdón, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
