Ways to say it
| Spanish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| mal perdedor | /mal peɾdedoɾ/ (from spelling rules) | masculine | |
| picón | /piˈkon/ | masculine | |
| resentido | /resenˈtido/ | masculine | |
| aquel que no sabe perder | cómo | /akel ke no sabe peɾdeɾ/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
A sore loser is one who is easily angered by losing (noun).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mal perdedor literally translates to 'bad loser'.
Which one should you use?
While mal perdedor is the standard term for a sore loser, resentido focuses more on the person being bitter or resentful about the loss. You may also use the descriptive phrase aquel que no sabe perder, which literally means 'one who does not know how to lose'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
mal perdedor(a) is an informal way to say sore loser. Picón is a colloquial or slang term used in certain regions to describe someone who is acting like a sore loser.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form is mal perdedor. To refer to a female sore loser, change the masculine mal perdedor to the feminine mala perdedora. The phrase aquel que no sabe perder uses the verb phrase no saber perder, which literally means 'one who does not know how to lose'.
How do you pronounce it?
/mal peɾdedoɾ/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone picón is often used as a playful tease during games to provoke the person into becoming even more frustrated.
- While mal perdedor is common, Spanish speakers often use the phrase no saber perder as a character trait, suggesting that losing is a skill that one must learn.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the slang term picón describes a sore loser, but it is also used to describe the feeling of being 'stung' or 'poked' by a loss.
Examples in context
- José siempre muestra una actitud de mal perdedor cuando pierde.José always shows an attitude of a sore loser when he loses.
- María se comporta como una mala perdedora cuando no gana.María behaves like a sore loser when she does not win.
- ¡No seas tan mal perdedor! Solo fue un juego amistoso.Don't be such a sore loser! It was only a friendly game.
- No seas un mal perdedor.Don't be a sore loser.
- Él es un mal perdedor cuando jugamos cartas.He is a sore loser when we play cards.
- Es un mal perdedor y siempre se enoja.He is a sore loser and always gets angry.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are talking about a friend after a game.
- MateoJuan es un mal perdedor.Juan is a sore loser.
- LucíaEs verdad, se enojó mucho por el partido.It is true, he got very angry about the match.
- MateoNo me gusta jugar con él.I don't like playing with him.
- LucíaYo tampoco, es muy difícil.Neither do I, it is very difficult.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sore loser” translations and entries picón, resentido, 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.
