ella es mala
/eʝa es mala/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'she bad' is expressed as ella es mala.
The phrase ella es mala is used to describe a woman who is morally wrong or unkind.
Which one should you use?
While ella es mala can mean she is an unkind or bad person, the phrase ella es malvada is a stronger term used to describe someone who is truly wicked or evil.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase ella es mala includes the verb es (is), which is necessary in Spanish to express a permanent or inherent quality, unlike the English colloquialism 'she bad'.
How do you pronounce it?
/eʝa es mala/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the adverb mal instead of the adjective mala. Saying ella es mal is grammatically incorrect when describing a person's character.
Did you know?
- If you say ella está mala instead of ella es mala, you are no longer saying she is a bad person but that she is feeling sick.
- The word mala is a homonym in Spanish, as it can also mean a 'large suitcase' or 'trunk'.
Examples in context
- Ana está buenísima. Todos los chicos se quedan sin palabras cuando la ven.Ana is hot. All the guys are left speechless when they see her.
- Rodrigo siempre piensa que María está tremenda, no deja de halagarla.Rodrigo always thinks María is incredibly attractive, he never stops complimenting her.
- Ella es mala con los animales.She is mean to animals.
- No confíes en ella, ella es mala.Don't trust her, she is bad.
- Sabemos que ella es mala persona.We know she is a bad person.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are discussing a former coworker.
- Daniel¿Por qué no quieres trabajar con ella?Why don't you want to work with her?
- ElenaPorque ella es mala y siempre miente.Because she is bad and always lies.
- DanielLo siento, no sabía que era así.I'm sorry, I didn't know she was like that.
- ElenaTen cuidado con ella.Be careful with her.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ella, es, mala, CC BY-SA 4.0.
