A colorful storybook illustration depicting three serious-looking figures wearing formal suits seated behind a long, imposing wooden desk, representing government officials or people in power.

autoridades

ah-oo-toh-ree-DAH-des

nounfB1

authorities?people in power; government officials

Also:officials?formal leaders or administration,powers that be?informal reference to controlling groups

📝 In Action

Las autoridades escolares cancelaron la clase por la nieve.

The school authorities canceled class because of the snow.

Debemos seguir las instrucciones de las autoridades sanitarias.

We must follow the instructions of the health authorities.

Si ves algo sospechoso, llama inmediatamente a las autoridades.

If you see something suspicious, call the authorities immediately.

Word Connections

Synonyms

gobierno (government)
policía (police)
funcionarios (officials)

Common Collocations

llamar a las autoridades – to call the authorities
las autoridades locales – local authorities
cumplir con las autoridades – to comply with the authorities

💡 Grammar Points

Always Plural

Even when you are referring to a single governing body, this word is almost always used in its plural form: 'Las autoridades' (The authorities).

Feminine Agreement

Since the base word 'autoridad' is feminine, all the words around 'autoridades' must also be feminine, like 'las' (the) and any describing words (adjectives).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Singular

Mistake: "La autoridad llegaron."

Correction: Las autoridades llegaron. (The authorities arrived.) You must use the plural form and plural verb conjugation.

⭐ Usage Tips

Formal Context

This word is often used in slightly more formal settings, like news reports or when discussing laws. For a very informal word for police, you might hear 'la poli'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: autoridades

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'autoridades'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

autoridad(authority (singular)) - noun

autoritario(authoritarian) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'autoridades' always refer to the police or government?

No, while it often refers to government or police, it can also mean any group of people with official power in a specific context, such as school administrators ('autoridades escolares') or health officials ('autoridades sanitarias').

Why is it usually plural, even when talking about one group?

In Spanish, the concept of the governing body or institution is usually treated as a collective noun in the plural form ('the authorities') rather than the singular abstract concept ('the authority').