The Meaning of malcriado

Word: Malcriado

Definition:

• “Malcriado” is a Spanish adjective used to describe a person who is badly brought up or ill-mannered. It often refers to someone who lacks proper manners, courtesy, or respect, particularly due to poor upbringing.

Usage:

• The term is commonly used in everyday conversation as well as in literature to critique behavior that is considered disrespectful or improper. For example:
  • “Ese niño está muy malcriado; nunca dice ‘por favor’ ni ‘gracias.’” (That child is very ill-mannered; he never says ‘please’ or ’thank you.’)

Etymology:

• The word “malcriado” is derived from two components:
  • The prefix “mal-” meaning “bad” or “ill”.
  • The verb “criar”, which means “to raise” or “to bring up”. The past participle of “criar” is “criado”. Thus, “malcriado” essentially translates to “badly raised”.

Pronunciation:

• /mɑl.kɾiˈa.ðo/ (in phonetic notation) or [mal-kree-AH-do] with the stress on the last syllable.

Synonyms:

• Maleducado (ill-mannered)
• Descortés (rude)
• Insolente (insolent)
• Grosero (gross or vulgar)

Antonyms:

• Bien educado (well-mannered)
• Cortés (polite)
• Respetuoso (respectful)
• Amable (kind)

In summary, “malcriado” carries a strong connotation of poor social behavior due to inadequate upbringing and reflects societal expectations of manners and respect in various contexts.

1. El niño es muy malcriado y no escucha a sus padres.
   (The boy is very spoiled and does not listen to his parents.)

2. No permitas que tu malcriado comportamiento afecte tu futuro.
   (Don’t let your spoiled behavior affect your future.)

3. La profesora dijo que el alumno malcriado necesita mejorar su actitud.
   (The teacher said that the spoiled student needs to improve his attitude.)

4. Si sigues siendo malcriado, tus amigos no querrán jugar contigo.
   (If you keep being spoiled, your friends won’t want to play with you.)

5. Sus comentarios malcriados en la reunión sorprendieron a todos.
   (His spoiled comments in the meeting surprised everyone.)

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