tienes mala cara
/tjenes mala kaɾa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "you look tired" is expressed in Spanish as tienes mala cara.
This phrase is commonly used to suggest someone looks physically exhausted, ill or stressed.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase tienes mala cara literally translates to "you have a bad face".
Which one should you use?
Other ways to express exhaustion or looking tired include Pareces cansado/a or Te ves agotado/a for informal situations and Parece que está cansado/a or Se ve agotado/a for formal situations.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the plural informal form is tenéis mala cara. The form tienen mala cara is used for the plural 'you' in Latin America or the formal 'you all' in Spain.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form tienes is the informal singular "you" (tú) conjugation of the verb tener (to have). To use this phrase with someone you address formally, change tienes to tiene.
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers often use the verb tener (to have) to describe physical states or appearances, whereas English speakers typically use 'to be' or 'to look'.
- Depending on the context, mala cara can also describe someone who looks grumpy or annoyed, rather than just physically exhausted.
- The word cara in this phrase descends from the Ancient Greek word kára, which originally meant 'head' before shifting to mean 'face'.
Examples in context
- No has dormido bien, tienes mala cara.You haven't slept well, you look tired.
- Parece que estás enfermo, tienes mala cara.It looks like you are sick, you look unwell.
- Oye, tienes mala cara hoy.Hey, you look exhausted today.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are meeting for coffee in the morning.
- DanielHola Elena, tienes mala cara hoy.Hi Elena, you look tired today.
- ElenaSí, no pude dormir nada anoche.Yes, I couldn't sleep at all last night.
- Daniel¿Quieres un café fuerte para despertar?Do you want a strong coffee to wake up?
- ElenaPor favor, me vendría muy bien.Please, that would be very helpful.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cara, mala, CC BY-SA 4.0.
