ir de mal a pior

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• ir a pior, ir para pior

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈi(ʁ) d͡ʒi ˈmaw a piˈɔʁ/ [ˈi(h) d͡ʒi ˈmaʊ̯ a pɪˈɔh], (faster pronunciation) /ˈi(ʁ) d͡ʒi ˈmaw a ˈpjɔʁ/ [ˈi(h) d͡ʒi ˈmaʊ̯ a ˈpjɔh]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈi(ʁ) d͡ʒi ˈmaw a piˈɔʁ/ [ˈi(h) d͡ʒi ˈmaʊ̯ a pɪˈɔh], (faster pronunciation) /ˈi(ʁ) d͡ʒi ˈmaw a ˈpjɔʁ/ [ˈi(h) d͡ʒi ˈmaʊ̯ a ˈpjɔh]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /ˈi(ɾ) d͡ʒi ˈmaw a piˈɔɾ/ [ˈi(ɾ) d͡ʒi ˈmaʊ̯ a pɪˈɔɾ], (faster pronunciation) /ˈi(ɾ) d͡ʒi ˈmaw a ˈpjɔɾ/ [ˈi(ɾ) d͡ʒi ˈmaʊ̯ a ˈpjɔɾ]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ˈi(ʁ) d͡ʒi ˈmaw a piˈɔʁ/ [ˈi(χ) d͡ʒi ˈmaʊ̯ a pɪˈɔχ], (faster pronunciation) /ˈi(ʁ) d͡ʒi ˈmaw a ˈpjɔʁ/ [ˈi(χ) d͡ʒi ˈmaʊ̯ a ˈpjɔχ]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈi(ɻ) de ˈmaw a piˈɔɻ/ [ˈi(ɻ) de ˈmaʊ̯ a pɪˈɔɻ], (faster pronunciation) /ˈi(ɻ) de ˈmaw a ˈpjɔɻ/ [ˈi(ɻ) de ˈmaʊ̯ a ˈpjɔɻ]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈiɾ dɨ ˈmal ɐ ˈpjɔɾ/ [ˈiɾ ðɨ ˈmaɫ ɐ ˈpjɔɾ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈiɾ dɨ ˈmal ɐ ˈpjɔɾ/ [ˈiɾ ðɨ ˈmaɫ ɐ ˈpjɔɾ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈi.ɾi dɨ ˈma.li ɐ ˈpjɔ.ɾi/ [ˈi.ɾi ðɨ ˈma.li ɐ ˈpjɔ.ɾi]

Verb

ir de mal a pior (first-person singular present vou de mal a pior, first-person singular preterite fui de mal a pior, past participle ido de mal a pior)

1. (idiomatic) to go from bad to worse

Further reading

• “ir de mal a pior”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2024