malo

[ˈmalo]

/[ˈmalo]/ adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“malo” is in the everyday core of Spanish, ranked #826 in Spanish word frequency and used as an adjective.

#826
frequency rank, Spanish
4
letters
4
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Se dice de lo que no está bien hecho.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

malo vs mo
50% similar
malo vs más
25% similar
malo vs mil
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for malo
PropertyValue
Headwordmalo
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[ˈmalo]
Letters4
Frequency rank#826
Misspellings tracked4
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “malo” sits in Spanish frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). malo lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The Spanish entry for malo is 4 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈmalo]. Corpus data places it at rank #826 in overall Spanish word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 13 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 4 likely wrong-spelling variants for malo, with forms such as "mallo", "maol", and "mlao". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "mo", "más", "mil", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct Spanish form is malo, spelled M-A-L-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    Se dice de lo que no está bien hecho.
  2. 2
    Se dice de lo que tiene connotaciones desagradables y negativas.
  3. 3
    Se dice de la persona con maldad.
  4. 4
    Se dice de lo que no tiene gracia y no gusta.
  5. 5
    Se dice de lo que entraña un peligro.
  6. 6
    Que causa deterioro o daño.
  7. 7
    Que no tiene mala conducta y comete travesuras.
  8. 8
    Deteriorado.
  9. 9
    Con la salud alterada.
  10. 10
    Se dice de quien carece de habilidad o talento en una disciplina o arte.
  11. 11
    Comida o bebida pasada o podrida.
  12. 12
    Errado, incorrecto.
  13. 13
    Contrario a la buena educación, la ética y los buenos principios.

Synonyms

bellacocruelgranujamalvadoruinvildesabridodesagradablepeligrosoaviesoriesgosonocivodañinoperniciosotraviesodesobedienteaveriadoenfermodescompuestomanidopiche

Antonyms

buenobuenobuenobuenobuenobueno

This word in other languages

bad(English)mauvais(Français)verdorben(Deutsch)mau(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: mallo,maol,mlao,mmalo

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of malo - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

mallo1maol2mlao2mmalo1
Edit distance from "malo"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "malo"?
"malo" is spelled M-A-L-O. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈmalo].
What does "malo" mean?
As an adjective, "malo" means: Se dice de lo que no está bien hecho.
What words are commonly confused with "malo"?
"malo" is commonly confused with "mo", "más", "mil". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "malo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "malo" is [ˈmalo]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "malo" come from?
"malo" is a Spanish word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “malo”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is M-A-L-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈmalo] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “mo” - see the side-by-side comparison. malo vs mo
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list