mal
adverbBeginnerHigh frequency
What does “mal” mean in English?
badly
Example sentences
Canto mal.
I sing badly.
Me siento mal.
I feel bad.
Habla mal el inglés.
He speaks bad English.
How to use it
Mal means 'badly' (adverb). Modifies verbs. Distinct from malo (bad, adjective). Use mal for HOW someone does something.
Common mistake
Mal (adverb) vs malo (adjective). 'Hablo mal' (I speak badly, verb), 'es malo' (he's bad, identity / quality of someone).
Topics
Related Beginner words
Reference
This entry’s teaching guidance follows A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish (Butt, Benjamin & Moreira Rodríguez, Routledge), 31.