Portuguese · Emotions & Descriptions

"Rude" in Portuguese: mal-educado/a

mal-educado/a

mahl-eh-doo-KAH-dooadjective/maw.-e.du.ˈka.du/

Note: also: grosso/a

Rude in Portuguese is mal-educado or mal-educada. Brazilians also say grosso/a for blunt rudeness.

Service complaint

Aquele atendente foi bem mal-educado comigo.

That clerk was really rude to me.

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How to pronounce mal-educado/a

Say it

mahl-eh-doo-KAH-doo

/maw.-e.du.ˈka.du/

mahl-eh-doo-KAH-doo

"Rude" in Portuguese: quick reference

Portuguese	English	When to use
mal-educado / mal-educada	rude Default adjective.	Default adjective.
grosso / grossa	rude / blunt Casual synonym.	Casual synonym.
foi mal-educado	he was rude Past judgment.	Past judgment.
não seja mal-educado	don’t be rude Warning.	Warning.

How to use mal-educado/a in real life

1Service complaint
Aquele atendente foi bem mal-educado comigo.
That clerk was really rude to me.
Customer talk.
2Parent warning
Não seja mal-educado com a professora.
Don’t be rude to the teacher.
Family rule.
3Friend venting
Achei a resposta dela mal-educada demais.
I thought her reply was way too rude.
Feminine form.

Mistakes English speakers make with mal-educado/a

Incorrect: Ele é mal educado. (missing hyphen habit)

Correct: Ele é mal-educado.

Write mal-educado with a hyphen.

Incorrect: Ela é mal-educado.

Correct: Ela é mal-educada.

Match gender: mal-educada for a woman.

Good to know

Mal-educado points to bad manners more than moral evil. Grosso feels sharper and more casual. In Brazil, jumping a queue or skipping bom dia can earn the label faster than a language slip.