If you want to say “evil” in Spanish, you have several options. The most basic is malo. You may also hear locals using maléfico or maligno when referring to something that is bad or evil.
Learning basic Spanish words like “evil” can add to your conversations about children’s stories and legends, cultural beliefs, and news and current events.
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How do you say ‘evil’ in Spanish?
You can use both nouns like el mal (evil) or adjectives like malo (evil), depending on how you want to structure your sentence. This simple word has many possible translations depending on the context.
Malo/mala
Use malo/mala to say “evil” if you’re describing a person, place, thing, or idea. Because it’s a Spanish adjective, you must use the correct form, matching grammatical gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun you’re describing.
- Para mí, Hitler fue un hombre malo. = In my opinion, Hitler was an evil man.
- Su personaje favorito en la serie fue la mujer mala. = Her favorite character in the show was the evil woman.
If you create your sentence with the verb estar, the meaning of malo/mala changes to “ill” or “feeling poorly,” so be careful not to misinterpret someone’s sick grandmother as “evil.” This is one of many instances where ser vs. estar can change the meaning of a sentence.
- Mi abuela está mala. = My grandmother is feeling sick.
- El perro está malo. = The dog is ill.
El mal
El mal means moral badness or malevolence. This definition would be relevant in discussions of la filosofía (philosophy) or la réligion (religion). You often hear this noun contrasted with el bien (good/benevolence).
- El bien siempre gana al mal. = Good always conquers evil.
- Era una historia del bien contra el mal. = It was a story of good versus evil.
El malo
This Spanish noun and its plural form los malos commonly refer to “the bad guy/the bad guys” in a story or film. A common synonym is el villano (the villain). A female villain would be la mala/la villana.
- ¡Qué sorpresa! En esta película el malo gana. = What a surprise! In this movie, the bad guy wins.
Malvado/malvada
This term is common in stories, legends, and movies when the character is considered evil or “wicked,” and could also be translated as “evil-doer” or “sinful” in religious contexts. It can be an adjective, following rules about adjective placement in Spanish, or a noun.
- La reina malvada encarceló a la princesa. = The Wicked Queen imprisoned the princess.
- ¿Por qué los malvados prosperan en este mundo? = Why do evildoers prosper in this world?
Vocabulary related to ‘evil’
There are many synonyms, related words, and expressions related to “evil” in Spanish. Expanding your vocabulary allows you to discuss superstitions or jokingly tell someone “you are evil!” in Spanish.
Even if you encounter other words for “evil” in Spanish slang one day, knowing these more standard expressions can help you ask for clarification on their meanings, since many are so similar.
| Spanish | English |
| el mal de ojo | “the evil eye” (harm transmitted by the eyes according to superstition) |
| un mal necesario | a necessary evil |
| la maldad | wickedness/evil intentions |
| una maldición | a curse/an evil spell |
| maléfico/maléfica | evil/wicked |
| maligno/maligna | evil/bad |
| el maligno | the Evil One/the devil/Satan |
| el menor de los dos malos | the lesser of two evils |
| una mirada malvada | “the evil eye” (a disapproving or jealous gaze) |
| pura maldad | pure evil |
| ¡Qué malo eres! | You’re so bad! |
| la raíz de todos los males | the root of all evil |
‘The evil eye’ in Spanish-speaking cultures
The phrase mal de ojo (evil eye) literally translated means “evil of eye.” It refers to a spell, incantation, or jinx and is based on a superstition in various cultures around the world. According to this concept, people can transmit negative energy and harm to others through a jealous or harmful gaze, whether or not they intend it.
The folklore varies between cultures, but is common in Mexico as well as other Spanish-speaking countries. Some warn that those who look at a child or a baby with evil intent can “cast a spell” via their eyes and cause the child to become ill.
Others blame the effect of the mal de ojo when everything seems to be going wrong at home or at work. Advice and remedies for avoiding the evil eye or counteracting its effects vary from the use of amulets to rituals and herbal medicines. Learn more about Spanish-speaking cultures with Rosetta Stone.
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