Pregunta de gramatica.

Question

¿Cuál es la diferencia en español entre "él está mal" y "él está malo." ¿Los dos se refieren a la mala salud de una persona? Muchas gracias.

Answer 1

Here is a good article by Gerald Erichsen on mal, malo, mala, etc. used with various verbs.

Thoughtco.com article

See the link for the full article. Here is an excerpt:

Malo is a common Spanish adjective meaning "bad" or in some way undesirable. The translation can vary depending on context. Its feminine form is mala, and through the process of apocopation, which is shortening, it can become mal when it comes before a singular masculine noun.

Its usual adverb form is mal, although the another related adverb form, malamente, can be used to mean "badly."

As an adjective, malo, mala or mal can almost always be translated as "bad," although other translations may be more suitable depending on the context.

The plural forms are malos and malas.

Mal- is also a prefix that typically means "bad" or "undesirable." An example of that would be maleducado, which means "impolite," as "someone who didn't learn their manners."

Answer 2

I think estoy mal is more common than estoy malo.

Bosque said the latter.

Well, it depends what you are talking about.

Estoy mal de salud. I have a poor health (in general)

Estoy malo. I feel poorly today or lately or only just now.

Truth is , we would normally say:

me encuentro fatal, me encuentro mal, estoy fastidiado, estoy jodido (con perdón, jeje)

All the above can mean both, sick or simply feeling bad for other reasons.

Answer 3

Estoy mal can mean both in Spain: I am sick, I don't feel well, I have a problem

Estoy malo can only mean: I am sick, I don't feel well.

Answer 4

Some helpful links:

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/272652/serestar-bienmal-or-buenomalo

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/196590/whats-the-diffwhats-the-difference-between-estar-malo-and-estar-enfermo-in-mexico

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/157955/what-difference-is-there-between-est-malo-and-es-malo

And I will take two quotes from this.

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/está-mal-or-está-malo.1127647/

An answer from Spain: (I think it is similar in Mexico)

Estoy malo: estoy enfermo.

Estoy mal: me siento mal, física o emocionalmente.

But one from Argentina:

...Latin America, it depends on the country, but in most of the them you have to use "está mal" in any context. thus it is wrong to say "está malo". Moreover, the term "malo" is used together with the verb "ser" (e.g. es malo, son malos, etc.). if you use "malo" attached to the verb "estar", you REFER TO A PERSON who is not used to being rude, but who is now behaving in that way, maybe because he/she is having a bad time.

So there seems a little bit of variation.

So based on what you sad, the frases, share a meaning but Estoy mal, also has a psychological element. - escritoraEEUU, Aug 7, 2017

Said by itself it can be quite ambiguous, just as I'm not well is ambiguous in English. You might start with this, but to be more specific you would use additional sentences with other verbs, adjectives, adverbs and nouns as we would do in English. - DilKen, Aug 7, 2017

And estar malo also can mean sick, etc. The big differences in meaning come by using the verb ser instead of estar to be he's a bad, evil person, etc. - DilKen, Aug 7, 2017

Estoy malo means I am sick (in some regions), estoy mal means I am doing poorly, which can mean I am sick, but can mean other things. :) - bosquederoble, Aug 7, 2017

Such as I am just having a crappy day. It is a broader thing. But it can mean the same as estoy malo, in context. This is my understanding, subject to correction by a native speaker. :) - bosquederoble, Aug 7, 2017

Keeping in mind, native speakers will give opinions based on their particular region. :) - bosquederoble, Aug 7, 2017

I think estoy mal is more common than estoy malo. :) - bosquederoble, Aug 7, 2017

All good comments Bosque. Wouldn't you agree that the best thing if you want to convey what is really going on with you is to use some other verbs, adjectives, etc. in an additional sentence or two? - DilKen, Aug 7, 2017

Yes, when in doubt, adding clarification can be helpful. Just as if you asked me how I was, and I said, I am doing poorly. Well in what way. :) - bosquederoble, Aug 7, 2017