Tan malo es

is it so bad

→ tan

phrase Rare #50,870

is it so bad Often used in a rhetorical question to challenge whether something is really bad. “Malo” changes to match the thing being described, as in “¿Tan mala es?”

SP: ¿Tan malo es descansar un día?

EN: Is it so bad to take a day off?

¿Tan malo es eso?

Is it really that bad?

— El último emperador (1987)

¿Tan malo es mi francés?

Is my French really that bad?

¿Tan malo es querer ver el alba desde otra orilla por una vez?

Is it so wrong to want to watch the sunrise from another shore for once?

— El engaño (2026)

¡¿Tan malo es?!

Is it really that bad?!

— La Tumba de las Luciérnagas (1988)