civil
“civil” means “civil” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
civil, civilian
Also: civic
📝 In Action
La guerra civil dividió al país en dos bandos.
A2The civil war divided the country into two sides.
Todos los empleados son civiles, no hay personal militar.
B1All the employees are civilian, there is no military staff.
La sociedad civil pidió más transparencia al gobierno.
B2Civil society asked the government for more transparency.
civil
Also: polite
📝 In Action
El derecho civil regula las relaciones entre particulares.
B2Civil law regulates relationships between private individuals.
El código civil es muy extenso y complejo.
B2The civil code is very extensive and complex.
Fue muy civil al responder a la crítica.
C1He was very polite (or courteous) when responding to the criticism.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: civil
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'civil' in its specialized legal context?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes directly from the Latin word *civilis*, which meant 'relating to the citizens' or 'belonging to the state.' It is the root of the English word 'civil' and many related concepts like 'civility' and 'citizen.'
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'civil' change based on whether the noun is masculine or feminine?
No. Because 'civil' ends in the letter 'l,' it is one of those adjectives that stays the same for both masculine and feminine nouns. You only need to change it to 'civiles' if the noun is plural.
How is 'Guardia Civil' (Civil Guard) different from regular police?
The 'Guardia Civil' is a specific police force in Spain with a military structure that handles nationwide duties, especially in rural areas, traffic, and security, whereas the 'Policía Nacional' handles most urban policing.