de mala muerte

Popularity
500+ learners.
USAGE NOTE
This idiom may be literally translated as "of bad death."
de mala muerte(
deh
 
mah
-
lah
 
mwehr
-
teh
)
A phrase is a group of words commonly used together (e.g., once upon a time).
phrase
1.
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
An idiom is a phrase with a meaning different from the literal meaning of the separate words that make it up (e.g., break a leg).
(idiom)
(of very poor quality; used as an adjective)
a. lousy
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
No quiero tener un empleo de mala muerte el resto de mi vida en la misma empresa.I don't want to have a lousy job for the rest of my life in the same company.
b. shitty
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
(vulgar)
Estoy deseando salir de este pueblo de mala muerte y ver las luces de la ciudad.I'm dying to leave this shitty town and see the lights of the city.
c. crappy
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
Curiosamente, después de aquel éxito, el actor no tuvo más que papeles de mala muerte en películas de serie B.Oddly enough, after that success, the actor had nothing but crappy roles in B movies.
d. seedy (place)
Nos alojamos en un hotel de mala muerte junto a la autopista.We are staying at a seedy hotel by the freeway.
e. godforsaken (place)
Nunca había ocurrido nada de interés en aquella aldea de mala muerte hasta que llegó Lorraine.Nothing interesting had ever happened in that godforsaken village until Lorraine came.
f. grotty
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
(United Kingdom)
El salón estaba medio vacío. Solo había una vieja mesa y un sofá de mala muerte.The sitting room was half empty. There was only an old table and a grotty couch.
g. dodgy
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
(United Kingdom)
Olivia nació y creció en un barrio de mala muerte a las afueras de la ciudad.Olivia was born and raised in a dodgy area on the outskirts of town.
h.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
Julio vivía en un apartamento de mala muerte en el centro con otros estudiantes.Julio was living in a shithole downtown with other students.
Lo único abierto después de medianoche es un bar de mala muerte cerca de la estación de tren.The only place open after midnight is a dive near the train station.
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