General
mala onda
What does mala onda mean?
Describes someone or something with a bad attitude or disagreeable energy.
"Tu novio es súper mala onda."
Origin
Literally 'bad wave'; the negative counterpart of 'buena onda'.
Frequently asked questions
What does mala onda mean?
It means 'bad vibes' or describes an unpleasant, mean person — 'es mala onda' means 'they're not nice'.
How do you use mala onda?
Say 'qué mala onda' to react to something unfortunate or unkind, like 'that sucks' or 'how mean'.
What's the opposite of mala onda?
'Buena onda' — good vibes, or a cool, friendly person.
Where does mala onda come from?
It literally means 'bad wave', the negative counterpart of 'buena onda', from Mexican 'onda' (vibe) slang.
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