Foi mal
foy MOW
How to say itPart of: Please & sorry
“My bad; sorry about that.”
Foi mal (literally “it went badly”) is the Brazilian slang “my bad”: a quick, light apology between friends for a small slip, a late reply, a missed call. It is warm and informal, never for a boss, a client or an older stranger, who get desculpa or desculpe. The reply is tranquilo, de boa or relaxa.
Looking for please, sorry and excuse me? Please and sorry in Portuguese: the guide
SlangAll Brazilalso: foi mal aíReply: Tranquilo.
How Brazilians use it
“Foi mal, cara, errei o horário.”
“My bad, man, I got the time wrong.”
To a friend.
“Foi mal aí, esqueci de te avisar.”
“Sorry about that, I forgot to tell you.”
Aí makes it even lighter.
“— Você pisou no meu pé. — Foi mal!”
““You stepped on my foot.” “My bad!””
A small accident.
“Foi mal a demora, tava sem sinal.”
“Sorry for the delay, I had no signal.”
A late reply, typed.
How to reply
- Tranquilo.No worries.
- De boa.All good; slang.
- Relaxa.Relax.
Similar expressions
Brazil vs Portugal
Brazilian. Portugal says desculpa lá or foi sem querer; foi mal sounds Brazilian there.
Common mistakes
- Don’t say foi mal to your boss or a stranger: desculpa or desculpe.
- Don’t use it for something that mattered: it is for small slips.
- Don’t translate it literally: it is not a judgement (“it was bad”), it is “my bad”.
Frequently asked questions
What does foi mal mean in English?
“My bad” or “sorry about that”: a light, informal apology between friends. Literally “it went badly”.
Is foi mal rude?
Not rude, but casual. Fine with friends and people your age; with a boss, a client or an older stranger, say desculpa or desculpe.
How do you respond to foi mal?
Tranquilo (no worries), de boa (all good), relaxa (relax) or tudo bem.
What does não faz mal mean?
“It doesn’t matter”, “no harm done”: the reply that forgives a slip. It is the other side of foi mal: foi mal! — não faz mal.