Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Spoil in Spanish: Malcriar
Malcriar · verb · mahl-kree-AHR
Spanish uses different verbs depending on what kind of 'spoiling' you mean. Malcriar means to spoil a child through excessive indulgence, consentir means to pamper someone lovingly, and echar a perder means to ruin or spoil something like food or plans. Choosing the right verb depends on whether the spoiling is about people or things.
Say mahl-kree-AHR with stress on the final syllable. The 'mal' prefix means 'bad' (as in badly raised), and criar means 'to raise.'
Los abuelos siempre malcrían a los nietos.
Grandparents always spoil the grandchildren.
spoil in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for spoil, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| malcriar | spoil | mahl-kree-AHR | Default, widely understood |
| echar a perder | spoil | for ruining/spoiling food or plans | |
| consentir | spoil | to pamper or indulge, positive spoiling |
How Native Speakers Use Malcriar
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
parenting
Si le compras todo lo que pide, lo vas a malcriar.
If you buy him everything he asks for, you'll spoil him.
Malcriar implies negative consequences of over-indulgence.
food going bad
La leche se echó a perder porque la dejé fuera del refrigerador.
The milk spoiled because I left it out of the fridge.
Echarse a perder is for food spoilage.
pampering
Quiero consentirte con un día de spa por tu cumpleaños.
I want to spoil you with a spa day for your birthday.
Consentir is positive and affectionate.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Malcriar
malcriar for food
Incorrect: La fruta se malcrió en el calor.
Correct: La fruta se echó a perder en el calor.
Malcriar exclusively refers to spoiling children or people through indulgence — food cannot be 'badly raised,' it simply goes bad (echarse a perder).
spoiler alert mistranslation
Incorrect: ¡No me malcríes la película!
Correct: ¡No me arruines la película!
When someone reveals a plot twist, the correct verb is arruinar (to ruin) or revelar el final — malcriar has nothing to do with revealing story endings.
Lock in spoil Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Malcriar used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using malcriar in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Los abuelos siempre malcrían a los nietos. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About spoil in Spanish
- How do I say 'spoiler alert' in Spanish?
- The most common expression is alerta de spoiler (using the English word) or alerta de destripe. In online forums you will also see aviso de contenido or simplemente spoiler, as the English term has been widely adopted in Spanish internet culture.
- Is consentir always positive?
- Consentir generally carries a warm, affectionate tone suggesting pampering or indulging someone you love. However, when used critically about parenting (consentir demasiado), it can approach the negative sense of malcriar, implying the child is over-indulged.
- What is the difference between echar a perder and arruinar?
- Echar a perder specifically suggests gradual deterioration or natural decay (food spoiling, opportunities wasted), while arruinar implies active destruction or a more sudden, dramatic ruining of something. Both can translate as 'to spoil' or 'to ruin' depending on context.