Spanish Phrase
Creo que tenemos mala conexión.
Meaning
The speaker is expressing a belief that the current connection—whether it’s an internet line, a phone call, or even a personal rapport—is poor or unreliable. It can be used literally for technical issues or metaphorically for interpersonal communication.
When to use
Use this sentence when you notice lag, static, or frequent drop‑outs during a video call, when a Wi‑Fi signal is weak, or when a conversation feels strained. It’s a polite way to point out a problem without blaming the other party.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Creoquetenemosmalaconexión
Creer (Creo)
‘Creer’ is a regular -er verb; ‘creo’ is the first‑person singular present indicative meaning ‘I think’.
Que (conjunction)
‘Que’ introduces a subordinate clause, equivalent to ‘that’ in English.
Tener (tenemos)
‘Tener’ is a regular -er verb; ‘tenemos’ is the first‑person plural present indicative meaning ‘we have’.
Adjective agreement (mala)
Adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify; ‘mala’ is feminine singular to match ‘conexión’.
Conexión (noun)
‘Conexión’ is a feminine noun meaning ‘connection’; it can refer to internet, phone signal, or a relationship.
🗨In Conversation
Creo que tenemos mala conexión.
I think we have a bad connection.
Sí, parece que la señal está débil. Vamos a intentar de nuevo.
Yes, it looks like the signal is weak. Let’s try again.
✕Common Mistakes
Creo que tenemos mala conexión.
‘Tengo’ is first‑person singular; the subject is ‘we’, so you need ‘tenemos’.
Creo que tenemos malo conexión.
Adjectives must agree with the noun’s gender; use ‘mala conexión’, not ‘malo conexión’.
Creo que tenemos una mala conexión.
Adding ‘una’ is not wrong, but it’s less natural in this quick, conversational phrase.
↔Alternatives
Me parece que la conexión es mala.
It seems to me that the connection is bad.
Parece que la señal está mala.
It looks like the signal is bad.
Creo que la conexión está fallando.
I think the connection is failing.
Cultural Tip
In Spanish‑speaking countries, ‘mala conexión’ is a common, informal way to comment on any kind of poor signal—Wi‑Fi, mobile data, or even a TV broadcast. When talking about relationships, speakers might say ‘tengo mala conexión con él/ella’ to indicate a lack of chemistry. Keep the tone light; blaming the technology rather than the person is considered courteous.