mala

/ˈma.lɐ/

//ˈma.lɐ// noun

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

The verdict

“mala” is a regularly-used Portuguese word, ranked #4,568 in Portuguese word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,568
frequency rank, Portuguese
4
letters
4
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - bolsa (geralmente de couro ou pano e com cadeado) usada para carregar dinheiro, documentos e outros objetos

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

mala vs mas
50% similar
mala vs mil
50% similar
mala vs mão
25% similar

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

Key facts for mala
PropertyValue
Headwordmala
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈma.lɐ/
Letters4
Frequency rank#4,568
Misspellings tracked4
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mala” sits in Portuguese 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). mala 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 Portuguese entry for mala is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈma.lɐ/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,568 in overall Portuguese word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 14 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 mala, with forms such as "maal", "malla", and "mlaa". 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, "mas", "mil", "mão", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct Portuguese form is mala, spelled M-A-L-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    bolsa (geralmente de couro ou pano e com cadeado) usada para carregar dinheiro, documentos e outros objetos
  2. 2
    sacola para transportar correspondência
  3. 3
    correspondência carregada nessa sacola
  4. 4
    espécie de caixa para o transporte de roupa e outros objetos em viagem
  5. 5
    bolsa ou carteira feminina
  6. 6
    pertences contidos nesses receptáculos
  7. 7
    golpe em falso no jogo da pelota
  8. 8
    barriga, estômago
  9. 9
    nádegas
  10. 10
    volume de orgão sexual masculino delineado por roupa que se veste
  11. 11
    órgãos genitais masculinos
  12. 12
    porta-malas
  13. 13
    indivíduo chato e desagradável
  14. 14
    espécie de rosário budista, com 108 contas esféricas (geralmente de madeira), usado principalmente para contar mantras

Synonyms

mala postalmala de mãobuchobundaretaguardatraseirobagosporta-bagagensmala-sem-alçamala sem alçajapa malajapamala

This word in other languages

suitcase(English)maleta(Español)valise(Français)Koffer(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: maal,malla,mlaa,mmala

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of mala - 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.

maal2malla1mlaa2mmala1
Edit distance from "mala"

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 Portuguese corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "mala"?
"mala" is spelled M-A-L-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈma.lɐ/.
What does "mala" mean?
As a noun, "mala" means: bolsa (geralmente de couro ou pano e com cadeado) usada para carregar dinheiro, documentos e outros objetos
What words are commonly confused with "mala"?
"mala" is commonly confused with "mas", "mil", "mão". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "mala"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mala" is /ˈma.lɐ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "mala" come from?
"mala" is a Portuguese word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “mala”

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

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is M-A-L-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈma.lɐ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “mas” - see the side-by-side comparison. mala vs mas
  • Browse more Portuguese words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Portuguese 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