Phrase · 🧩 Everyday idioms
Hoy el jefe está de malas, mejor no le pidas nada.
The boss is in a bad mood today, so you'd better not ask him for anything.
B2idiomsinformalAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Hoyadverbtodayeldeterminerthemasc. · sing. · definitejefenounbossmasc. · sing.está1verbisestar · present · 3rd sing.de1prepositionofmalas1adjectivebad (de malas = in a bad mood)malo · fem. · pl.,mejor2adverbbetternoadverbnotleobject pronoun(to) himél · 3rd sing. · indirect objectpidas2verbaskpedir · subjunctive · present · 2nd sing.nadapronounnothing, anythingsing..
- jefe → está: agree
- pidas → le: iobj
- pidas → nada: obj
Word for word: “Today the boss is of bad ones, better not ask him anything.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1estar de malas = to be in a bad mood (common in Mexico); also estar de mal humor.
- 2mejor no + negative command: casual advice; the negative tú command uses the present subjunctive. Negative imperative and imperative with pronouns →
Variations
- Hoy el jefe está de mal humor, mejor no le pidas nada.