portarse mal
Been bad.
The phrase 'portarse mal' in Spanish essentially corresponds to 'behaving badly' or 'being naughty' in English. It's used in a variety of contexts to refer to someone who is not acting according to expectations or rules. Notably, it does not inherently label someone as 'bad', but rather refers to their conduct or actions at a particular time.
Example sentences using: portarse mal
Las personas que se portan mal a menudo encuentran problemas.
People who behave badly often find trouble.
This phrase suggests a general statement that trouble usually follows bad behavior.
Juan suele portarse mal en la escuela.
Juan usually behaves badly at school.
This phrase indicates that Juan has a habit of not behaving appropriately while he is at school.
Si te portas mal, no recibes postre.
If you behave badly, you won't receive dessert.
This sentence is usually used by parents to discipline their children, implying punishment for wrongful behavior.
Es fácil portarse mal cuando no hay supervisión.
It's easy to misbehave when there's no supervision.
This phrase represents the idea that people are more prone to behave badly when there's no one watching or supervising them.
Los perros se portan mal cuando están aburridos.
Dogs behave badly when they are bored.
This phrase is explaining that dogs can act out when they are not entertained or bored.
Tienes que hablar con tu hijo sobre portarse mal.
You have to talk to your son about misbehaving.
This sentence implies that the individual's son is behaving poorly and a conversation is needed as a result.
Mi vecino siempre se porta mal en las reuniones del barrio.
My neighbor always behaves badly at neighborhood meetings.
This phrase is a complaint or observation about the inappropriate behavior of a neighbor during neighborhood meetings.
Es sorprendente cómo los niños pequeños pueden portarse mal.
It's surprising how badly little children can behave.
This sentence communicates an observation about the unexpected level of misbehavior that can come from small children.
Los gatos no suelen portarse mal sin razón.
Cats do not usually misbehave without reason.
This sentence is saying that cats normally have a motive or reason for their bad behavior.
Debemos enseñar a los estudiantes a no portarse mal.
We should teach students not to misbehave.
This sentence implies that part of education is teaching students to behave appropriately.