mala suerte (spanish) - meaning, definition, translation, pronunciation
Part of Speech
Mala suerte is a noun phrase.
Phonetic Transcription
/ˈmala ˈswerte/
Translation Options into English
Mala suerte translates to "bad luck" in English.
Meaning and Usage
Mala suerte refers to the concept of experiencing unfavorable or unfortunate circumstances or events beyond one’s control. It is a commonly used phrase in Spanish to describe situations where things do not go as planned or where an individual faces adversity due to unfavorable chance occurrences.
The phrase is frequently used in both oral and written contexts, though it may appear more commonly in conversational settings where people recount personal experiences.
Example Sentences
Mala suerte: Ayer me torcí el tobillo y ahora tengo mala suerte.
Yesterday I twisted my ankle, and now I have bad luck.
Mala suerte: Siempre parece que él tiene mala suerte en las loterías.
It always seems like he has bad luck in lotteries.
Mala suerte: La mala suerte me persigue; nunca puedo ganar nada.
Bad luck is chasing me; I can never win anything.
Idiomatic Expressions
The phrase mala suerte is often used in various idiomatic expressions in Spanish. Here are a few examples:
No hay mala suerte que por bien no venga
Translation: There is no bad luck that does not come for good.
Con la mala suerte que tengo, es un milagro que no me haya caído hoy.
Translation: With the bad luck I have, it’s a miracle I haven’t fallen today.
Si no fuera por la mala suerte, no tendría suerte alguna.
Translation: If it weren’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all.
A veces se dice que la mala suerte viene en paquetes.
Translation: Sometimes it's said that bad luck comes in packs.
Etymology
The term "mala suerte" originates from Spanish, where "mala" means "bad" and "suerte" means "luck" or "fortune." The individual words derive from Latin, where “mala” comes from “malus” meaning "bad," and “suerte” from “sors,” meaning "fate" or "lot."
Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms:
Desgracia (misfortune)
Infortunio (unfortunate event)
Antonyms:
Buena suerte (good luck)
Fortuna (fortune)
This structure presents a comprehensive overview of the phrase mala suerte, its usage, etymology, idiomatic expressions, and related synonyms and antonyms.