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mal-conservado

B1 adjective 11 min read

mal-conservado

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips mal-conservado in 30 Seconds

Explanation mal-conservado in your Level:

At the A1 level, you don't need to use 'mal-conservado' often, but you should recognize it. It's a long word, but think of it as two parts: 'mal' (bad) and 'conservado' (kept). If you see a house with broken windows and dirty walls, it is 'mal-conservado'. At this level, you can use the simpler phrase 'em mau estado' (in bad state) or just 'velho e sujo' (old and dirty). However, learning 'mal-conservado' helps you understand descriptions of houses or cars in basic advertisements. Remember to change the ending: 'o carro mal-conservado' (boy word) and 'a casa mal-conservada' (girl word).

At A2, you are starting to describe the world around you in more detail. You might use 'mal-conservado' to talk about your neighborhood or a hotel you stayed in. For example, 'O parque da minha cidade está mal-conservado'. This shows you understand that things need care and maintenance. You should also learn the opposite: 'bem-conservado' (well-maintained). If you are looking for a used bicycle, you want one that is 'bem-conservada'. At this stage, focus on the agreement between the noun and the adjective. 'As ruas estão mal-conservadas' (The streets are poorly maintained).

At the B1 level, 'mal-conservado' becomes a very useful word for expressing opinions and complaints. You can use it to talk about public services, historical monuments, or the condition of a rented apartment. You understand the nuance that something can be relatively new but still be 'mal-conservado' because of neglect. You should be able to use it in more complex sentences like: 'Apesar de ser um museu importante, as obras estão mal-conservadas'. You also start to see it in news articles about infrastructure. This is the level where you should consistently use the hyphen (mal-conservado) or follow the specific spelling rules of your target region.

At B2, you use 'mal-conservado' with precision. You can distinguish it from 'degradado' (more formal/severe) or 'precário' (dangerous/unstable). You might use it in a formal letter of complaint to a landlord or a city council. 'Escrevo para reclamar do estado mal-conservado das escadas do prédio'. You also understand the adverbial relationship: that 'mal' is modifying the participle 'conservado'. You can handle the comparative forms, like 'mais mal-conservado do que...', and you know that 'mal-conservado' refers to the history of neglect, not just a one-time accident.

At the C1 level, you recognize 'mal-conservado' as part of a broader vocabulary regarding heritage, urbanism, and quality control. You might use it in academic or professional discussions about 'património mal-conservado' (poorly preserved heritage). You understand the social and political implications of the word—how it suggests a lack of investment or civic duty. You are also aware of the orthographic debates (mal-conservado vs malconservado) and can choose the appropriate form for your writing style. You can use it metaphorically in literature, though it remains primarily a descriptive term for physical states.

At C2, you have a complete mastery of the term and its synonyms. You might use it in a critique of a restoration project, arguing that a building was 'mal-conservado' for decades and thus requires 'restauro' (restoration) rather than just 'manutenção' (maintenance). You can use the word in high-level legal contexts regarding the 'dever de conservação' (duty of maintenance). You appreciate the subtle irony if someone uses it to describe a person's appearance, and you can navigate all technical and poetic uses of the word with ease, including its placement in complex, multi-clause sentences.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

mal-conservado in 30 Seconds

Means 'poorly maintained' or 'in bad condition' due to neglect.
Used for buildings, cars, roads, and general physical objects.
Must agree in gender and number (mal-conservado/a/os/as).
Synonym of 'em mau estado' but implies a lack of care.

The Portuguese adjective mal-conservado is a compound term that describes something in a state of neglect or poor physical condition. It is formed by the adverb 'mal' (badly/poorly) and the past participle 'conservado' (maintained/preserved). When you encounter this word, think of objects, buildings, or infrastructures that have not received the necessary care over time. It suggests that while the item might have been functional or beautiful once, the lack of maintenance has led to visible deterioration, rust, peeling paint, or structural weakness. It is a vital word for B1 learners because it moves beyond the simple 'velho' (old) to describe the quality of care an object has received.

Physical Infrastructure: This is perhaps the most common context. You will hear locals complaining about 'estradas mal-conservadas' (poorly maintained roads) full of potholes, or 'parques mal-conservados' where the grass is overgrown and benches are broken. It implies a failure of responsibility, often by authorities or owners.

O edifício histórico está mal-conservado e precisa de obras urgentes.

Translation: The historic building is poorly maintained and needs urgent work.

In real estate, mal-conservado is a red flag. If an apartment is described this way, expect leaky faucets, cracked tiles, or mold. However, it's also used for smaller items. A book with torn pages and a stained cover is 'mal-conservado'. A car that hasn't had an oil change in years and has a rusty body is 'mal-conservado'. The word focuses on the process of preservation that was ignored. It differs from 'estragado' (broken/ruined) because something can be mal-conservado but still functioning, albeit poorly.

Agreement Rules: Remember that as an adjective, it must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies: um carro mal-conservado, uma casa mal-conservada, carros mal-conservados, casas mal-conservadas.

As ferramentas estavam mal-conservadas e cheias de ferrugem.

Translation: The tools were poorly maintained and full of rust.

Culturally, using this word can carry a tone of disappointment or criticism. If you visit a museum and say the exhibits are 'mal-conservadas', you are suggesting that the curators are not doing their jobs properly. It is a more sophisticated way of saying 'em mau estado' (in bad state). In business, receiving 'equipamento mal-conservado' is grounds for a formal complaint. It is a word that demands action or repair.

Nuance vs. 'Velho': Something can be 'velho' (old) but 'bem-conservado' (well-maintained). Conversely, a relatively new car can be 'mal-conservado' if the owner never washes it or services the engine. Use 'mal-conservado' when you want to highlight the lack of care rather than the age.

Não compre esse sofá; apesar de novo, parece mal-conservado.

Integrating mal-conservado into your Portuguese requires an understanding of where it sits in a sentence and how it interacts with verbs. Most commonly, it follows the verb estar (to be - temporary state) because poor maintenance is often viewed as a state that can be changed through repair, or as a condition that has developed over time. However, it can also follow ser (to be - inherent characteristic) if the neglect is so deep that it defines the object's current nature.

With the Verb 'Estar': Use 'estar' when describing the current condition of something. 'O jardim está mal-conservado' (The garden is poorly maintained). This implies it was perhaps once better and could be better again if someone mowed the lawn.

As estradas desta cidade estão mal-conservadas devido à chuva.

The roads in this city are poorly maintained due to the rain.

When used as a direct adjective modifying a noun, it usually follows the noun. In Portuguese, adjectives typically come after the noun they describe. For example, 'Um arquivo mal-conservado' (A poorly maintained archive). Placing it before the noun is rare and would be highly poetic or emphatic, which doesn't usually happen with such a technical/descriptive term.

Plural and Gender Forms: Masculine Singular: mal-conservado
Feminine Singular: mal-conservada
Masculine Plural: mal-conservados
Feminine Plural: mal-conservadas

Encontrámos várias pinturas mal-conservadas no sótão.

We found several poorly maintained paintings in the attic.

You can also use it in comparisons. 'Este carro está mais mal-conservado do que o outro' (This car is more poorly maintained than the other). Note that we use 'mais mal' here rather than 'pior' because 'mal-conservado' is treated as a single unit of meaning, though 'pior conservado' is also grammatically acceptable and common in some regions.

In Negative Sentences: To say something is NOT poorly maintained, you can use 'não está mal-conservado' or, more naturally, 'está bem-conservado'. 'O museu não está nada mal-conservado; pelo contrário, está impecável.'

Apesar da idade, o violão não parece mal-conservado.

Despite its age, the guitar doesn't seem poorly maintained.

Finally, consider the adverbial use. While 'mal-conservado' is the adjective, you might describe the action of maintaining something poorly using 'conservar mal'. 'Eles conservam mal o património da cidade' (They maintain the city's heritage poorly). This shifts the focus from the state of the object to the behavior of the people responsible.

In the daily life of a Portuguese speaker, mal-conservado appears in very specific but frequent scenarios. If you are watching the evening news (Jornal Nacional in Brazil or Telejornal in Portugal), you will inevitably hear a report about public infrastructure. Journalists use this term to criticize the government. 'A ponte está mal-conservada e oferece riscos aos motoristas' (The bridge is poorly maintained and poses risks to drivers). It is the 'go-to' word for civic complaints.

Real Estate and Tourism: When looking for rentals on sites like Idealista or OLX, you might see reviews from previous tenants. 'O apartamento era espaçoso, mas muito mal-conservado.' This warns you about peeling wallpaper, dampness, or broken shutters. In tourism, travelers often use it to describe hotels that haven't been renovated since the 1980s.

O hotel era caro, mas os quartos estavam mal-conservados.

In the used car market (mercado de usados), this word is a price-killer. A seller might try to hide defects, but a savvy buyer will point out: 'Este motor parece mal-conservado'. It suggests that the previous owner didn't just drive the car, they neglected its soul—the mechanics. You'll also hear it in museums or libraries regarding old documents or artifacts that haven't been kept in climate-controlled environments.

Environmental and Legal Contexts: In legal disputes between landlords and tenants, the 'estado de conservação' (state of maintenance) is a key legal term. A lawyer might argue that a property was returned 'mal-conservado', leading to a claim for damages. Similarly, environmentalists might describe a 'trilha mal-conservada' (poorly maintained trail) that is causing erosion.

O tribunal decidiu que o imóvel foi entregue mal-conservado.

The court decided that the property was handed over poorly maintained.

Finally, listen for it in conversations about public schools or hospitals. It is a powerful political word in Portuguese-speaking countries to describe the 'sucateamento' (scrapping/deterioration) of public services. When a student says 'A minha escola está mal-conservada', they aren't just talking about the walls; they are talking about a lack of investment in their future.

One of the most frequent errors for English speakers is confusing mal-conservado with 'estragado'. While 'estragado' means broken, spoiled (for food), or ruined, 'mal-conservado' specifically refers to the lack of maintenance. A 'carro estragado' won't start. A 'carro mal-conservado' might start, but it has scratches, dirty seats, and a rattling engine. Using 'estragado' for a poorly kept building sounds slightly off; 'mal-conservado' or 'degradado' is much better.

The Hyphen Confusion: Since the 1990 Orthographic Accord, the rules for 'mal' have changed. You use a hyphen if the next word starts with a vowel, H, or L. Since 'conservado' starts with 'C', many modern grammarians argue for 'malconservado' (one word). However, in many dictionaries and common usage, the hyphenated form 'mal-conservado' persists. As a learner, if you use the hyphen, you are emphasizing the 'bad' aspect, which is perfectly acceptable.

Errado: O pão está mal-conservado (se estiver com mofo).
Correto: O pão está estragado.

Note: We use 'estragado' for food. 'Mal-conservado' for food would refer to the pantry or fridge conditions, not the food itself.

Another mistake is failing to change the ending for feminine nouns. English speakers often forget that adjectives must match the noun. Calling 'a casa' (feminine) 'mal-conservado' is a classic B1 error. It must be 'a casa mal-conservada'. Similarly, for plural nouns like 'os monumentos', you must say 'mal-conservados'.

Overusing it for People: Avoid saying a person is 'mal-conservado' unless you are being intentionally rude about their aging process. In English, we might say someone has 'not aged well'. In Portuguese, 'mal-conservado' applied to a person is very blunt and implies they look like a neglected building. Use 'abatido' (worn out) or 'envelhecido' (aged) instead.

Cuidado: Dizer que alguém está mal-conservado é uma ofensa forte.

Finally, remember the difference between 'mal-conservado' and 'antigo'. Something 'antigo' (ancient/antique) can be extremely 'bem-conservado'. A vintage car from the 1950s that looks like new is 'antigo e bem-conservado'. If it's covered in rust, it's 'antigo e mal-conservado'. Don't use the words interchangeably.

To truly master Portuguese, you need to know when to swap mal-conservado for a more specific synonym. While 'mal-conservado' is the general term for poor maintenance, other words can provide more color or technical accuracy depending on the situation.

Degradado: This is a stronger, more formal word often used for buildings or urban areas. It implies that the state of disrepair is advanced. If a neighborhood is 'degradado', it might have abandoned buildings and broken streetlights. It sounds more 'official' than mal-conservado.
Precário: This means 'precarious' or 'unstable'. If a bridge is mal-conservada, its condition might be described as 'precária', meaning it's dangerous and could fail at any moment. It focuses on the risk rather than just the appearance.

A situação do telhado é precária; está muito mal-conservado.

For objects that are just messy or not cared for in a lazy way, you might use descuidado. This applies well to gardens or personal items. If you have a 'jardim descuidado', it just means you haven't weeded it lately. 'Mal-conservado' sounds a bit more serious, like the fence is also rotting and the soil is dead.

Em mau estado: This is the simplest alternative. 'O livro está em mau estado'. It's perfectly correct and very common. 'Mal-conservado' is just a more specific way of saying why it is in a bad state (because it wasn't preserved well).
Arruinado / Em ruínas: Used for buildings that are beyond 'mal-conservado' and are now just piles of stone or skeletal structures. You can't 'maintain' a ruin; you have to 'rebuild' it.

O palácio não está apenas mal-conservado; está praticamente arruinado.

When discussing food, never use 'mal-conservado' to mean 'rotten'. Use estragado or podre. However, you can say 'Este leite foi mal-conservado' (This milk was poorly stored/maintained), implying it was left out of the fridge, even if it hasn't turned 'estragado' yet. This is a subtle but important distinction in kitchen Portuguese.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The root 'servare' in Latin means 'to keep watch' or 'to guard'. So 'mal-conservado' literally means something that was 'badly guarded' against the passage of time.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ˌmal.kõ.seɾ.ˈva.du/

US /ˌmaw.kõ.seɾ.ˈva.du/

The primary stress is on the penultimate syllable 'va'.

Rhymes With

passado cansado pintado quebrado estragado gelado fechado molhado

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'mal' as 'mál' (too open). It should be a short vowel.
Forgetting the nasalization on the 'on' sound.
Over-pronouncing the final 'o'. In many dialects, it sounds closer to a 'u'.
Confusing the 'r' sound with an English 'r'. It should be a flap against the teeth.
Stressing the 'mal' part instead of the 'va' part.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

Easy to recognize if you know 'mal' and 'conservar'.

Writing 4/5

Requires remembering the hyphen and gender/number agreement.

Speaking 4/5

The nasal sounds and the 'l' can be tricky for beginners.

Listening 3/5

Clearly articulated in formal speech, might be slurred in informal Brazilian speech.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

mal conservar estado casa carro

Learn Next

degradado manutenção restauro obras negligência

Advanced

sucateamento obsolescência deperimento ruinoso insalubre

Grammar to Know

Adjective Agreement

A casa (f) está mal-conservada (f).

Compound Adjectives with 'Mal'

Mal-educado, mal-limpo, mal-conservado.

Use of 'Estar' for temporary/changeable states

O jardim está mal-conservado (pode ser limpo).

Plural of compound adjectives

Os carros estão mal-conservados.

Hyphenation with 'Mal'

Mal-conservado (standard) vs Malconservado (modern variant).

Examples by Level

A casa é mal-conservada.

The house is poorly maintained.

Feminine singular agreement (casa...conservada).

O carro está mal-conservado.

The car is in bad condition.

Masculine singular agreement (carro...conservado).

Os livros são mal-conservados.

The books are poorly maintained.

Masculine plural agreement (livros...conservados).

A rua está mal-conservada.

The street is poorly maintained.

Feminine singular agreement.

O brinquedo está mal-conservado.

The toy is in bad condition.

Use of 'estar' for a state.

As janelas estão mal-conservadas.

The windows are poorly maintained.

Feminine plural agreement.

Este jardim é mal-conservado.

This garden is poorly maintained.

Adjective follows the noun.

O parque está mal-conservado.

The park is in bad condition.

Standard 'estar' + adjective construction.

Nesta cidade, os monumentos estão mal-conservados.

In this city, the monuments are poorly maintained.

Plural agreement.

Não quero este apartamento porque está mal-conservado.

I don't want this apartment because it's poorly maintained.

Using 'porque' to give a reason.

A bicicleta dele é velha e mal-conservada.

His bicycle is old and poorly maintained.

Two adjectives modifying one noun.

As ferramentas do meu avô estão mal-conservadas.

My grandfather's tools are poorly maintained.

Possessive phrase + adjective.

O hotel parece um pouco mal-conservado nas fotos.

The hotel looks a bit poorly maintained in the photos.

Use of 'parece' (looks/seems).

Eles vendem móveis mal-conservados naquela loja.

They sell poorly maintained furniture in that shop.

Adjective modifying the object of the verb.

A pintura da parede está mal-conservada.

The paint on the wall is in bad condition.

Feminine singular agreement.

O meu computador antigo está mal-conservado.

My old computer is poorly maintained.

Subject + verb + adjective.

O relatório aponta que o edifício escolar está mal-conservado.

The report points out that the school building is poorly maintained.

Formal context using 'relatório'.

Se o motor estiver mal-conservado, o carro não vai durar.

If the engine is poorly maintained, the car won't last.

Conditional sentence with future meaning.

Muitas estradas rurais continuam mal-conservadas este ano.

Many rural roads remain poorly maintained this year.

Use of 'continuam' to show a persistent state.

Apesar do preço baixo, o imóvel estava muito mal-conservado.

Despite the low price, the property was very poorly maintained.

Contrast using 'Apesar de'.

É perigoso caminhar por trilhas mal-conservadas na montanha.

It is dangerous to walk on poorly maintained trails in the mountains.

Impersonal 'É perigoso' construction.

O arquivo histórico contém documentos mal-conservados pelo tempo.

The historical archive contains documents poorly maintained over time.

Passive sense of 'conservados pelo tempo'.

Os moradores reclamam do estado mal-conservado da praça.

The residents complain about the poorly maintained state of the square.

Noun 'estado' + adjective.

A mobília do escritório parece mal-conservada e ultrapassada.

The office furniture seems poorly maintained and outdated.

Two adjectives in agreement.

A falta de investimento resultou em equipamentos mal-conservados.

The lack of investment resulted in poorly maintained equipment.

Causal relationship.

O contrato exige que o imóvel não seja devolvido mal-conservado.

The contract requires that the property not be returned poorly maintained.

Subjunctive mood after 'exige que'.

Vimos várias obras de arte mal-conservadas devido à humidade.

We saw several works of art poorly maintained due to humidity.

Specific cause mentioned ('devido à').

O sistema de esgoto está mal-conservado há décadas.

The sewage system has been poorly maintained for decades.

Present tense + 'há' to show duration.

É inaceitável que um hospital público esteja tão mal-conservado.

It is unacceptable that a public hospital is so poorly maintained.

Expressing strong opinion with 'É inaceitável'.

O proprietário foi multado por manter o terreno mal-conservado.

The owner was fined for keeping the land poorly maintained.

Infinitive 'manter' + adjective.

A infraestrutura ferroviária está visivelmente mal-conservada.

The railway infrastructure is visibly poorly maintained.

Use of adverb 'visivelmente'.

Não podemos aceitar mercadorias mal-conservadas no armazém.

We cannot accept poorly maintained goods in the warehouse.

Plural agreement.

A negligência estatal deixou o património histórico mal-conservado.

State negligence left the historical heritage poorly maintained.

Complex subject and object.

O acervo da biblioteca, embora vasto, encontra-se mal-conservado.

The library's collection, although vast, is found to be poorly maintained.

Pronominal verb 'encontrar-se'.

Constatou-se que as instalações elétricas estavam mal-conservadas.

It was found that the electrical installations were poorly maintained.

Passive impersonal construction 'Constatou-se'.

A embarcação, mal-conservada e obsoleta, foi proibida de navegar.

The vessel, poorly maintained and obsolete, was banned from sailing.

Appositive use of the adjective.

O solo, mal-conservado por anos de monocultura, perdeu a fertilidade.

The soil, poorly maintained by years of monoculture, lost its fertility.

Metaphorical use for natural resources.

A crítica apontou que o cenário da peça estava mal-conservado.

The critique pointed out that the play's set was poorly maintained.

Reporting verbs.

Trata-se de um exemplar mal-conservado de uma obra rara.

It is a poorly maintained copy of a rare work.

Formal 'Trata-se de' construction.

As políticas de habitação ignoram os bairros mal-conservados.

Housing policies ignore the poorly maintained neighborhoods.

Political/Social context.

A degradação do edifício deve-se, em parte, ao facto de ter sido mal-conservado.

The building's degradation is due, in part, to the fact that it was poorly maintained.

Complex causal structure.

Sob uma fachada imponente, escondia-se um interior mal-conservado.

Beneath an imposing facade, a poorly maintained interior was hidden.

Literary word order.

A herança consistia em várias propriedades rurais mal-conservadas.

The inheritance consisted of several poorly maintained rural properties.

Specific vocabulary ('consistia em').

O arquivo digital, se mal-conservado, pode tornar-se ilegível.

The digital archive, if poorly maintained, can become illegible.

Modern/Technical context.

É imperativo restaurar o que foi mal-conservado pelas gerações anteriores.

It is imperative to restore what was poorly maintained by previous generations.

Nominalization of the adjective state.

A frota de autocarros, mal-conservada e poluente, exige renovação.

The bus fleet, poorly maintained and polluting, demands renewal.

Social critique.

O jardim botânico padece de um estado mal-conservado crónico.

The botanical garden suffers from a chronic poorly maintained state.

Use of 'padece de' (suffers from).

O autor descreve a alma do protagonista como um quarto mal-conservado.

The author describes the protagonist's soul as a poorly maintained room.

Metaphorical literary use.

Synonyms

Degradado Descuidado Em mau estado Precário Arruinado Detonado Sucateado Gasto

Antonyms

Bem-conservado Impecável Restaurado Novo

Common Collocations

Edifício mal-conservado

Estradas mal-conservadas

Carro mal-conservado

Património mal-conservado

Estado mal-conservado

Jardim mal-conservado

Equipamento mal-conservado

Livros mal-conservados

Móveis mal-conservados

Instalações mal-conservadas

Common Phrases

Muito mal-conservado

— Very poorly maintained. Adds emphasis to the degree of neglect.

O quarto de hotel era muito mal-conservado.

Visivelmente mal-conservado

— Visibly poorly maintained. Used when the decay is obvious at first glance.

O prédio está visivelmente mal-conservado.

Apesar de mal-conservado

— Despite being poorly maintained. Used to introduce a positive quality.

Apesar de mal-conservado, o carro ainda funciona.

Parece mal-conservado

— It looks/seems poorly maintained. Expresses an impression.

Este motor parece mal-conservado.

Pelo facto de estar mal-conservado

— Due to the fact that it is poorly maintained. Used to explain a consequence.

O preço baixou pelo facto de estar mal-conservado.

Entregar mal-conservado

— To hand over in a poorly maintained state. Often used in rental contexts.

Não podes entregar o apartamento mal-conservado.

Andar mal-conservado

— To be/go around in a poorly maintained state (usually for objects/vehicles).

O autocarro anda muito mal-conservado.

Totalmente mal-conservado

— Completely poorly maintained. Implies zero care was taken.

O arquivo está totalmente mal-conservado.

Infelizmente mal-conservado

— Unfortunately poorly maintained. Expresses regret.

O palácio está, infelizmente, mal-conservado.

Extremamente mal-conservado

— Extremely poorly maintained. Highest level of neglect.

As ruas estão extremamente mal-conservadas.

Often Confused With

mal-conservado vs Estragado

Estragado means broken or spoiled. Mal-conservado means neglected but often still functional.

mal-conservado vs Velho

Velho means old. Something can be old but well-maintained (bem-conservado).

mal-conservado vs Sujo

Sujo means dirty. Cleaning can fix sujo, but mal-conservado usually requires repairs.

Idioms & Expressions

"Cair aos pedaços"

— To be falling apart. A more colorful way to describe something mal-conservado.

A casa está a cair aos pedaços.

Informal

"Estar num estado lastimável"

— To be in a pitiful state. Used for extreme neglect.

O jardim está num estado lastimável.

Neutral

"Estar nas lonas"

— To be 'on the ropes' or in very bad shape (can be financial or physical).

Aquele carro está nas lonas.

Informal

"Ver-se grego"

— To have a hard time (often used when dealing with something mal-conservado).

Vi-me grego para consertar aquele rádio mal-conservado.

Informal

"Estar por um fio"

— To be hanging by a thread. Used for things that are dangerously mal-conservados.

A estrutura da ponte está por um fio.

Neutral

"Fazer das tripas coração"

— To make a huge effort (often to fix something mal-conservado).

Fiz das tripas coração para restaurar a casa mal-conservada.

Neutral

"Estar a pedir reforma"

— To be asking for retirement (used for old, mal-conservados objects).

Este computador está a pedir reforma.

Informal

"Não valer um tostão furado"

— To not be worth a plugged nickel (often due to being mal-conservado).

Aquelas ferramentas não valem um tostão furado.

Informal

"Dar o berro"

— To break down completely (the end result of being mal-conservado).

O motor finalmente deu o berro.

Informal

"Estar uma lástima"

— To be a pity/shameful state.

A escola está uma lástima.

Informal

Easily Confused

mal-conservado vs Mal-educado

Both start with 'mal-'.

Mal-educado refers to a person's rude behavior, while mal-conservado refers to an object's physical state.

Ele é mal-educado, mas o seu carro está bem-conservado.

mal-conservado vs Mal-passado

Both start with 'mal-'.

Mal-passado refers to rare steak/meat.

Eu gosto do bife mal-passado.

mal-conservado vs Mau

Mau also means bad.

Mau is an adjective (mau estado), mal is an adverb here modifying 'conservado'.

Ele está em mau estado porque foi mal-conservado.

mal-conservado vs Degradado

Similar meaning.

Degradado is more formal and usually implies a social or urban decay.

O bairro degradado tem muitos prédios mal-conservados.

mal-conservado vs Descuidado

Similar meaning.

Descuidado focuses on the person's lack of care, mal-conservado on the resulting state.

O dono descuidado deixou o jardim mal-conservado.

Sentence Patterns

O [noun] é mal-conservado.

O livro é mal-conservado.

A [noun] está mal-conservada.

A bicicleta está mal-conservada.

Apesar de [adjective], o/a [noun] está mal-conservado/a.

Apesar de caro, o hotel está mal-conservado.

O estado mal-conservado do/da [noun] é [adjective].

O estado mal-conservado da ponte é perigoso.

Devido à falta de [noun], o/a [noun] encontra-se mal-conservado/a.

Devido à falta de verbas, o museu encontra-se mal-conservado.

O que outrora foi [adjective], hoje jaz mal-conservado.

O que outrora foi um palácio, hoje jaz mal-conservado.

Eles não devem [verb] [noun] mal-conservados.

Eles não devem vender carros mal-conservados.

Se o/a [noun] não for [verb], ficará mal-conservado/a.

Se a casa não for pintada, ficará mal-conservada.

Word Family

Nouns

conservação (maintenance/preservation)

conservador (conservator/conservative)

conserva (preserve/canned food)

Verbs

conservar (to maintain/to preserve)

Adjectives

conservado (maintained)

bem-conservado (well-maintained)

conservador (conservative)

manutenção

preservação

deterioração

degradação

desleixo

How to Use It

frequency

Common in news, real estate, and daily complaints.

Common Mistakes

Using 'mau-conservado'. → Mal-conservado.
We use the adverb 'mal', not the adjective 'mau', to modify another adjective/participle.
O casa mal-conservado. → A casa mal-conservada.
Agreement error: 'casa' is feminine, so the article and adjective must be feminine.
Using it for rotten food. → Comida estragada.
'Mal-conservado' refers to the storage process, 'estragado' to the result of the food being bad.
Forgetting the hyphen in formal writing. → Mal-conservado.
While 'malconservado' is becoming more common, the hyphenated form is safer in formal contexts.
Calling a person 'mal-conservado' to mean they are tired. → Abatido / Cansado.
Calling a person 'mal-conservado' is an insult about their physical appearance/aging.

Tips

Gender Agreement

Always check the noun. 'A mesa' is feminine, so it's 'mal-conservada'.

Use with 'Estar'

Usually used with the verb 'estar' because maintenance is a state.

Real Estate

Look for this word in apartment ads to avoid bad rentals.

Nasal Sounds

Make sure to nasalize the 'on' in 'conservado' through your nose.

Hyphen Rule

Use the hyphen to be safe, especially in formal European Portuguese.

Mal vs Bem

Learn 'bem-conservado' at the same time to have the full range.

Complaining

This is a great word for making polite but firm complaints.

Degradado

Use 'degradado' if the building is really falling apart.

Infrastructure

If a bridge is 'mal-conservada', it might be 'perigosa' (dangerous).

Description

Use it to add detail to your descriptions of places in stories.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'MALL' that is 'CONSERVED' poorly. If the mall (mal) is not conserved, it becomes 'mal-conservado' with broken escalators and empty shops.

Visual Association

Imagine a rusty, old bridge with a big red 'X' over it. The bridge is 'mal-conservado'. Connect the rust with the word.

Word Web

casa carro estrada ponte livro negligência ferrugem sujidade

Challenge

Look around your room. Is there anything 'mal-conservado'? Try to describe it in Portuguese using the word and a reason why (e.g., 'porque é velho' or 'porque não limpo').

Word Origin

From the combination of 'mal' (from Latin 'male') and 'conservado' (past participle of 'conservar', from Latin 'conservare').

Original meaning: Badly kept or poorly preserved.

Romance (Latin roots).

Cultural Context

Be careful when using it to describe people's homes to their faces, as it implies they are lazy or poor caretakers.

In English, we often say 'run-down' or 'dilapidated'. 'Mal-conservado' is slightly more clinical but covers the same ground.

News reports on the 'Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro'. Real estate listings on 'Idealista'. Complaints in the 'Portal da Queixa' (Portugal).

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Real Estate

Apartamento mal-conservado
Prédio mal-conservado
Paredes mal-conservadas
Cozinha mal-conservada

Infrastructure

Estradas mal-conservadas
Pontes mal-conservadas
Rede elétrica mal-conservada
Passeios mal-conservados

Vehicles

Motor mal-conservado
Pintura mal-conservada
Interior mal-conservado
Pneus mal-conservados

Culture/Museums

Quadros mal-conservados
Estátuas mal-conservadas
Livros mal-conservados
Acervo mal-conservado

Nature/Parks

Jardim mal-conservado
Parque mal-conservado
Trilhas mal-conservadas
Árvores mal-conservadas

Conversation Starters

"O que achas do estado das estradas nesta cidade? Estão mal-conservadas?"

"Já alguma vez alugaste um apartamento que estava mal-conservado?"

"Como podemos evitar que os monumentos históricos fiquem mal-conservados?"

"Achas que o teu carro está bem ou mal-conservado?"

"O que fazes quando recebes um livro mal-conservado da biblioteca?"

Journal Prompts

Descreve um lugar que visitaste e que estava mal-conservado. Como te sentiste?

Escreve uma carta de reclamação sobre um parque mal-conservado no teu bairro.

Explica a diferença entre algo 'velho' e algo 'mal-conservado' com exemplos.

Quais são as consequências de ter uma infraestrutura nacional mal-conservada?

Como seria a tua casa ideal? Seria antiga mas bem-conservada?

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Technically yes, to describe the storage conditions (e.g., 'leite mal-conservado'), but to say the food is rotten, use 'estragado'.

Both are used. 'Mal-conservado' is more traditional. The 1990 Accord allows 'malconservado' because 'c' is a consonant.

Yes, it is quite rude. It implies the person looks neglected or has aged poorly.

The direct opposite is 'bem-conservado' (well-maintained).

Yes, you can say a digital archive is 'mal-conservado' if it wasn't backed up or updated.

Yes, it is universally understood and used in all Lusophone countries.

It's rare. Usually, we use 'desgastada' or 'negligenciada' for relationships.

Add an 's': mal-conservados or mal-conservadas.

It is neutral to slightly formal. It's appropriate for news, business, and daily life.

It's a compound of an adverb and a participle. The hyphen helps clarify the meaning.