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"Mala" is a form of "mala", a noun which is often translated as "mailbag". "Malo" is an adjective which is often translated as "bad". Learn more about the difference between "mala" and "malo" below.
la mala(
mah
-
lah
)
A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
feminine noun
a. mailbag
No sé cómo el cartero logra cargar esa mala con lo grande que está.I don't know how the mailman manages to carry that mailbag, as big as it is.
a. mail
Regionalism used in the United States
(United States)
El cartero solía entregar la mala extranjera solo dos veces por semana.The mailman used to deliver foreign mail only twice a week.
b. post
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
(United Kingdom)
La mayoría de la mala que me llega ahora son catálogos o facturas.Most of the post I receive nowadays is catalogues or bills.
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malo, el malo, la mala(
mah
-
loh
)
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
adjective
a. bad
Si el vino que usas es malo, la salsa saldrá ácida.If the wine you use is bad, the sauce will turn out acidic.
b. poor
Pedro tiene tan mala letra que los profesores nunca entienden lo que escribe.Pedro has such poor handwriting that teachers can never make out what he writes.
a. bad
Aléjate de él. Es un hombre malo.Stay away from him. He's a bad man.
b. evil
Algunas personas son malas por naturaleza.Some people are naturally evil.
a. sick
Está malo desde anoche. Vamos a llamar al médico.He's been sick since last night. We're going to call the doctor.
b. ill
Caí mala el lunes y estuve en cama toda la semana.I fell ill on Monday and was in bed all week.
a. bad
Soy muy mala para cocinar.I'm really bad at cooking.
a. bad
Beber en exceso es malo para la salud.Drinking too much is bad for your health.
a. bad
Hoy el clima está muy malo.The weather is very bad today.
a. naughty
Era un cachorro tan malo que tuvimos que regalarlo.He was such a naughty puppy that we had to give him away.
a. mean
No seas tan malo con tu hermana. Déjala jugar contigo.Don't be so mean to your sister. Let her play with you.
a. bad
Esta carne ya está mala.This meat has gone bad.
This means that the noun can be masculine or feminine, depending on the gender of the noun it refers to (e.g., el doctor, la doctora).
masculine or feminine noun
a. villain
Ella es la mala de la película.She's the movie's villain.
b. baddy
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
La protagonista se enamora de uno de los malos.The protagonist falls in love with one of the baddies.
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