cattiva

Cattiva is the feminine singular form of the Italian adjective cattivo, meaning bad or evil depending on context. It agrees with feminine singular nouns, for example una ragazza cattiva or una cattiva abitudine. The masculine form is cattivo and the plural forms are cattivi (masculine) and cattive (feminine). The word is used to describe moral judgment, negative quality, or unfavorable conditions.

Common uses include describing ideas, actions, people, or situations: una cattiva idea (a bad idea), una cattiva abitudine (a bad habit), una persona cattiva (a bad person), una situazione cattiva (a bad situation), or un odore cattivo (a bad smell). In milder tones it can indicate disapproval without harsh moral condemnation, while in stronger contexts it can imply blame or harm.

In Italian, adjectives typically follow the noun, so the usual order is una ragazza cattiva. There are stylistic or emphatic uses in which adjectives may precede the noun, but cattiva generally appears after the noun in everyday language. The term is widely used in speech, writing, and media to convey negative quality, risk, or moral assessment.

See also: cattivo, bad; moral evaluation.