hueles mal
/weles mal/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "you smell bad" is said as hueles mal.
This phrase is used to tell someone that their body or their breath has an unpleasant odor.
Which one should you use?
In this phrase, the word mal functions as an adverb meaning "badly" rather than an adjective describing the person.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase hueles mal uses the second-person singular informal form of the verb oler. You can change the subject by altering the verb ending: use huele mal to mean "he/she/it smells bad" and huelen mal to mean "they smell bad".
Did you know?
- The word mal shares a common ancestor with the English word 'malevolent'. Both trace back to the Latin malus, meaning 'bad'.
- In Spanish, you can say hueles a algo to specify a scent, such as hueles a cebolla for 'you smell like onion', whereas in English we often use 'of'.
- In Spain, the word mal is used in the expression mal cuerpo to describe feeling physically ill or nauseous, even though it has nothing to do with smell.
Examples in context
- Hueles mal.You smell bad.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase hueles mal.Tatoeba #5011938 by Shishir, translation #5006758 by Lindoula
- Juan, disculpa si soy directo, pero debes prestar atención a tu olor corporal.Juan, I apologize for being direct, but you need to pay attention to your body odor.
- Oye, amigo, creo que deberías usar un desodorante más efectivo.Hey, buddy, I think you should use a more effective deodorant.
- Hueles mal después de correr.You smell bad after running.
- Lo siento, pero hueles mal.I am sorry, but you smell bad.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are at the gym.
- ElenaJavier, hueles mal.Javier, you smell bad.
- JavierEs verdad, necesito una ducha.It is true, I need a shower.
- ElenaSí, deberías irte ya.Yes, you should leave now.
- JavierTienes razón, Elena.You are right, Elena.
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.
