huele mal
/wele mal/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the phrase for "smells bad" is huele mal.
huele mal is used to describe something that has an unpleasant odor. You can modify the intensity of a bad smell by using different adverbs: Ligeramente (slightly), Bastante (quite), Horriblemente (horribly), Asquerosamente (disgustingly) or Insoportablemente (unbearably).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the third-person singular form of the verb oler (to smell) and the adverb mal (badly/bad).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the adjective hediondo is often used to describe something that has an extremely bad odor. In Argentina and Uruguay, the noun peste is commonly used to convey a strong, offensive smell.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are talking about multiple things, change the verb to the third-person plural form huelen mal to say "they smell bad". To express the opposite, "it smells good", use huele bien.
Did you know?
- In some South American countries like Argentina, you can describe an offensive odor by simply saying it is a peste, turning the noun for 'plague' or 'pestilence' into a descriptor for a smell.
- The Spanish word for 'bad', mal, descends from the Latin 'male', which is the same root found in many English words starting with 'mal-', such as 'malfunction'.
- In some regions, saying está oliendo instead of huele implies that the bad smell is a sudden or temporary event rather than a permanent quality.
Examples in context
- La leche huele mal.The milk smells bad.This sentence is useful for describing how milk smells using huele mal.Tatoeba #10044335 by manufrutos, translation #10016570 by ddnktr
- La mierda huele mal.The shit smells bad.This sentence is useful for describing how shit smells using huele mal.Tatoeba #1527955 by marcelostockle, translation #819105 by Cindrogriza
- Esta carne huele mal.This meat smells bad.This sentence is useful for describing how meat smells using huele mal.Tatoeba #1118750 by hayastan, translation #57551 by CK
- El baño desprende un olor desagradableThe bathroom emits an unpleasant smell
- La comida huele a podridoThe food smells bad
- Ese lugar tiene una peste insoportableThat place has an unbearable smell
- Esta sustancia es hediondaThis substance is foul-smelling
- El pescado huele muy malThe fish smells very bad
- Esa fuente tiene un olor insoportablemente desagradableThat fountain has an unbearably unpleasant smell
- El perfume tiene un olor ligeramente desagradableThe perfume has a slightly unpleasant smell
- La basura huele bastante malThe trash smells quite bad
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are in the kitchen after cooking.
- Lucía¿Sientes eso?Do you smell that?
- AlejandroSí, la comida huele mal.Yes, the food smells bad.
- LucíaCreo que se ha echado a perder.I think it has gone bad.
- AlejandroTienes razón, vamos a tirarla.You're right, let's throw it away.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
