Spanish Conversation · Level 3
87 words
Spanish word
maldad
Pronunciation
IPA/malˈdað/
Meaning
- feminine nounmalice
Example
No puedo creer tanta maldad en esa persona.
I can't believe there is so much malice in that person.
More examples
El niño cometió una maldad al esconder la tarea de su hermano.
The boy committed a wrongdoing by hiding his brother's homework.
Core concept
A person's malicious intention together with the harmful deeds it causes.
Common phrases
cometer una maldad
commit a wrongdoing
hacer una maldad
play a mean trick
actos de maldad
acts of malice
Similar words
odio: Intense hatred or hostile feeling toward a person or thing.
malicia: Cunning intent to harm others, usually carried out by clever tricks.
crueldad: Deliberate causing of pain or suffering to people or animals.
malevolencia: Desire for others' misfortune and ill will toward them.
Definition in Spanish
Sentimiento o intención maliciosa hacia otra persona y, por extensión, los actos dañinos derivados de esa intención.
Word origin
Maldad comes from Spanish mal 'bad' plus the noun-forming suffix -dad, which creates an abstract word for badness and for harmful behavior resulting from that badness.
Usage tips
- The word highlights inner ill will more than simple rudeness, and Spanish often names a specific harmful act with hacer una maldad rather than just maldad.
Other meanings
- evilnoun
- wrongdoingnoun
- meannessnoun
Opposites
- bondadgoodnessnoun
- benevolenciabenevolencenoun
Related words
- maldosomaliciousadjective
- maldosamentemaliciouslyadverb