casual

Tener mala leche

To have bad luck / To be unlucky

teh-NEHR MAH-lah LEH-cheh

What does it mean?

"Tener mala leche" (to have bad milk) means to have bad luck or to be in a bad mood. "¡Qué mala leche!" = "What bad luck!" It's used across Colombia and expresses misfortune in a very Colombian way.

How to use it

Use to express bad luck or misfortune. Very natural and widely understood.

Example sentences

What bad luck!

¡Qué mala leche!

He's so unlucky.

Ese man tiene mala leche.

Related phrases

Vaina

Thing / Stuff / Situation

Guayabo

Hangover

More everyday phrases

Ahorita

In a moment / Right now / Later

Listo

Ready / OK / Done / Sure

Dale

Let's do it / Go ahead / Come on

Sumercé

You (formal/respectful, Bogotá)

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