eso es malo
/eso es malo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "that is mean" is translated into Spanish as eso es malo.
This phrase is used to describe an action or statement that is unkind or unfair.
Which one should you use?
If the 'meanness' is particularly harsh or lacks empathy, you can use eso es cruel to add more intensity. The phrase Eso fue desagradable means "That was unpleasant".
How do you pronounce it?
/eso es malo/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, instead of saying eso es malo, people might use the word feo (literally 'ugly') to describe a mean or unkind comment.
- While malo translates to 'bad', using it to describe a person's character is much stronger in Spanish than in English, often implying they are truly wicked or evil.
- The word malo is a cognate of the English word 'malice' and the prefix 'mal-', as in 'malfunction'. Both stem from the Latin 'malus', meaning 'bad'.
Examples in context
- ¡Qué feo! Me criticaron todo el tiempo en la reunión.How mean! They criticized me the whole time in the meeting.
Example conversation
Javier makes a joke about Maria's drawing.
- JavierTu dibujo parece un garabato.Your drawing looks like a scribble.
- María¡Eso es malo, Javier!That is mean, Javier!
- JavierLo siento, solo era una broma.I'm sorry, it was only a joke.
- MaríaNo fue una broma divertida.It wasn't a funny joke.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, eso, malo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
