bad

malo

bad(bahd)

adjective

1. (of poor quality)

a. malo

I can't believe I wasted my time on such a bad movie!

¡No puedo creer que perdí mi tiempo viendo una película tan mala!

b. mal

I've read it a second time and still think that it's a bad book, even if very entertaining.

Lo he leído por segunda vez y sigo pensando que es un mal libro, aunque muy entretenido.

2. (harmful)

a. malo

Drinking alcohol is bad for your health.

Beber alcohol es malo para tu salud.

b. mal

Storms always seem like a bad omen to me.

Las tormentas siempre me parecen un mal presagio.

3. (unpleasant)

a. malo

I had a bad day at work today.

Hoy tuve un día malo en el trabajo.

b. mal

My son woke up screaming, but it was just a bad dream.

Mi hijo se despertó gritando, pero fue solo un mal sueño.

4. (unfavorable)

a. malo

Sunday is a bad day to go to the beach. It's crowded.

El domingo es un día malo para ir a la playa. Está llena de gente.

b. mal

I'm afraid this is a bad time. Come back later, please.

Me temo que este es un mal momento. Vuelva más tarde, por favor.

5. (wicked)

a. malo

That boyfriend of yours was a bad person.

Aquel novio tuyo era una mala persona.

b. mal

Pepe is a bit of a fool, but he's not a bad man.

Pepe es un poco tonto, pero no es un mal hombre.

6. (severe)

a. fuerte

I had such a bad headache that I had to stay at home.

Tenía un dolor de cabeza tan fuerte que tuve que quedarme en casa.

b. grave

He was shot, and his wound is bad.

Le dispararon y la herida es grave.

7. (rotten)

a. podrido

Don't eat that tomato, it's gone bad.

No te comas ese tomate, está podrido.

8. (guilty)

a. mal

I feel bad for not having remembered our wedding anniversary.

Me siento mal por no haberme acordado de nuestro aniversario de boda.

9. (afflicted)

a. malo

My dad has a bad back and cannot lift heavy objects.

Mi papá tiene la espalda mala y no puede levantar objetos pesados.

10. (finance)

a. sin fondos

I knew it was a bad check when it was returned by the bank.

Supe que era un cheque sin fondos cuando el banco me lo devolvió.

noun

11. (evil)

a. lo malo

You have to take the bad with the good in this situation.

Tienes que aceptar lo bueno y lo malo en esta situación.

adverb

12.

(colloquial)

(used for emphasis)

(United States)

a.

no direct translation

I love you so bad that it hurts.

Te quiero tanto que duele.

It's so hot out. I need some water real bad.

Hace tanto calor afuera. Estoy desesperado por un poco de agua.

bad

adjective

1. (of poor quality)

a. malo(a)

it's not badno está mal

he's bad at Englishse le da mal el inglés

I'm really bad at cookingsoy un desastre cocinando

things are going from bad to worselas cosas van de mal en peor

it was a bad time to leaveera un mal momento para irse

to have a bad timepasarlo mal

bad checkcheque sin fondos

2. (finance)

a.

bad debtdeuda incobrable

in bad faithde mala fe

bad feelinganimadversión f

it was a bad idea to invite themno fue una buena idea invitarles

to give something up as a bad jobdejar algo por imposible

to be a bad loserser un mal perdedor

bad luckmala suerte f

3. (unpleasant)

a. malo(a)

bad bloodmala sangre f

there's bad blood between themexiste una gran hostilidad entre ellos

to get into somebody's bad booksentrar en la lista negra de alguien

bad mannersmala educación f, malos modales mpl

it's bad manners to…es de mala educación…

to be in a bad moodestar de mal humor

4. (fig)

a.

she's bad newsno te traerá más que problemas

5. (unfortunate)

a.

it's (really) too bad!, that's too bad!¡es una (verdadera) pena!

to have a bad effect on somethingperjudicar algo

he'll come to a bad endterminará mal

6. (not healthy)

a. enfermo(a)

he's got a bad back/heartestá mal de la espalda/del corazón

smoking/alcohol is bad for youfumar/el alcohol es perjudicial para la salud

to be in a bad wayestar muy mal

7. (wicked; person, behavior)

a. malo(a)

to use bad languagedecir palabrotas

bad wordpalabrota f

8. (serious; mistake, illness, accident)

a. grave

9. (pain, headache)

a. fuerte

10. (rotten)

a. malo(a), podrido(a)

to be badestar malo(a) or podrido(a)

to go badestropearse, echarse a perder

11. (fig)

a.

a bad appleuna manzana podrida

12. (guilty)

a.

to feel bad about somethingsentirse mal por algo

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

bad [bæd]

adjective

worse (comparative)worst (superlative)

1 (disagreeable) malo

I've had a bad day at work he tenido un mal día en el trabajo; to taste bad saber mal; no saber bueno; she looked as if she had a bad smell under her nose parecía como si algo le oliera mal

this coffee tastes bad to me a bad [mood/temper] she's in one of her bad moods a fit of bad temper to have a bad [time] of it we've been going through a bad time recently

to go from bad to worse ir de mal en peor

mood temper time

2 (poor, inferior) malo

her English is bad habla inglés mal; his handwriting is bad tiene mala letra; business is bad el negocio va mal

to be bad at sth ser malo para algo

I was bad at sports era muy malo para los deportes; los deportes se me daban mal

the British have a reputation for being bad at languages he's bad at tennis

he was a bad driver era un mal conductor

that's not a bad idea esa no es una mala idea

I'm a bad liar no sé mentir

bad light stopped play se suspendió el partido debido a la falta de luz

it would make me look bad in the press daría una mala imagen de mí en la prensa

he wasn't bad-looking no estaba mal

I don't think I'm that bad-looking

bad management mala administración

not bad for a beginner the job was boring, but the money wasn't bad

this wine's not bad at all este vino no está nada mal

too bad

it's too bad you couldn't get tickets es una pena or una lástima que no hayas podido conseguir entradas; "that was my drink!" — "too bad!" —¡ésa era mi bebida! —¡qué le vamos a hacer!; if you don't like it, (that's) too bad! si no te gusta, ¡peor para ti!

the firm has had a bad year la empresa ha tenido un mal año

economists say tax cuts are a bad idea many people are forced to live in bad housing students are very bad at turning up for lectures she starred in a bad film about the Mau Mau it's the worst meal I've ever eaten! the worst thing you can do is underestimate him a bad actor

3 (serious, severe) [+accident, mistake] grave; [+headache] fuerte

she's got a bad cold está muy resfriada; tiene un resfriado fuerte; the traffic was bad today hoy había mucho tráfico

a bad headache he had a bad accident two years ago

4 (unfavourable) malo

the plane was diverted due to bad weather el avión fue desviado debido al mal tiempo; you've come at a bad time vienes en un mal momento; things are looking bad for the government las cosas se están poniendo feas para el gobierno; it'll look bad if we don't go quedará mal que no vayamos

this is beginning to look bad "it looks bad," he said, "the infection is spreading" it was a bad start to our relationship the report couldn't have come at a worse time the shutdown is bad news for the staff that wouldn't be a bad thing

book

5 (harmful) malo

he was a bad influence era una mala influencia

to be bad for sth/sb

smoking is bad for you or for your health fumar es malo or perjudicial para la salud; fumar perjudica la salud; soap is bad for the skin el jabón no es bueno para la piel

empty hotel rooms are bad for business it's bad for them to watch television all the time it's bad for her image to be seen with those people divorce is bad for children

6 (wicked) [+person, behaviour] malo

you bad boy! ¡qué niño más malo eres!; they're a bad lot no son buena gente

I don't think he's a bad person he gave up his bad ways his beliefs don't make him any worse than anybody else

he said a bad word ha dicho una palabrota

it's too bad of you! ¿no te da vergüenza?

it's really too bad of him! ¡realmente no tiene vergüenza!

he's led a thoroughly bad life many parents find it hard to discourage bad behaviour

language

7

to feel bad about sth (sorry)

I feel bad about hurting his feelings me sabe mal haber herido sus sentimientos; (guilty) are you trying to make me feel bad? ¿estás intentando hacer que me sienta culpable?; don't feel bad (about it), it's not your fault no te preocupes, no es culpa tuya

I feel bad about it

8 (ailing)

I feel bad me siento mal; he has a bad back está mal de la espalda

to be in a bad way

the economy is in a bad way la economía va mal; he looked in a bad way tenía mal aspecto

9 (rotten) [+food] podrido; [+milk] cortado; [+tooth] picado

I think the milk's bad

to go bad pasarse; estropearse

they bought too much meat and it went bad

blood

10 (Economics) [+cheque] sin fondos

a bad cheque

a bad debt una deuda incobrable or de pago dudoso

you need at least ten pounds to go to the cinema these days, and that's bad that music's really bad, baby

noun

lo malo

parents can have a powerful influence for good or bad los padres pueden tener mucha influencia para lo bueno y para lo malo; there's good and bad in this news esta noticia tiene su lado bueno y su lado malo; there is both good and bad in every human being hay una parte buena y una parte mala en cada ser humano

he can't tell the difference between good and bad everything we've been through, both the good and the bad

to take the bad with the good aceptar tanto lo bueno como lo malo

things can't always be how you want them to be - you must learn to take the bad with the good

adverb

he's hurt bad está malherido; she took it bad se lo tomó a mal; if you want it that bad you can pay for it yourself si tanto lo quieres, comprátelo tú; to need sth real bad necesitar algo desesperadamente

I got stung real bad by a bee yesterday to have it bad

the way she looks at him, you can tell she's got it bad por la forma en que lo mira, se nota que está colada por él (informal)

to be in bad with sb

he's in bad with the law tiene problemas con la ley

I'm an antique dealer, in bad with the law, and I should know you'll get me in bad with Matron, you will

"Malo" shortened to "mal"

Malo must be shortened to mal before a masculine singular noun:

He was in a bad mood Estaba de mal humor

Position of "malo"

Mal/Mala etc precedes the noun in general comments. Here, there is no comparison, implied or explicit, with something better:

I'm afraid I have some bad news for you Me temo que traigo malas noticias para usted

I've had a bad day today Hoy he tenido un mal día

Malo/Mala etc follows the noun when there is an implicit or explicit comparison with something good:

... his only bad day in the race ... ... su único día malo en la carrera ...

Ser/Estar malo

Use malo with ser to describe inherent qualities and characteristics:

Smoking is bad for your health Fumar es malo para la salud

This is a very bad film Esta película es malísima

Use malo with estar to describe unpleasant food or else to mean "unwell":

The food was really bad La comida estaba malísima

He's been unwell lately Ha estado malo últimamente

Estar mal

Use estar with the adverb mal to give a general comment on a situation that seems bad or wrong:

Cheating in your exams is really bad Está muy mal que copies en los exámenes

In the space of an hour I've signed fifty books. Not bad En una hora he firmado cincuenta libros. No está mal

I managed to come second, which wasn't bad He conseguido acabar segundo, lo que no estuvo mal

bad