criminal
“criminal” means “criminal” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
criminal
Also: unlawful, illegal
📝 In Action
La policía está investigando las actividades criminales del grupo.
B1The police are investigating the group's criminal activities.
El abogado dijo que no había prueba de intención criminal.
B2The lawyer said there was no proof of criminal intent.
Fue un error, no un acto criminal.
B1It was a mistake, not a criminal act.
criminal
Also: culprit, offender
📝 In Action
El criminal escapó de la cárcel anoche.
A2The criminal escaped from jail last night.
La policía capturó a la criminal después de una larga búsqueda.
B1The police captured the female criminal after a long search.
Los criminales suelen operar de noche.
A2Criminals usually operate at night.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: criminal
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'criminal' as a noun?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes directly from the Latin word *criminalis*, which itself is based on *crimen*, meaning 'charge' or 'offense.' It has been used in Spanish for centuries to describe acts that break the law.
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'criminal' a formal or informal word?
It is a neutral word. You will hear it used in formal settings like courtrooms and in informal conversations on the street. It is the standard term for a lawbreaker.
Does 'criminal' have a negative connotation in everyday use?
Yes, absolutely. Like in English, using 'criminal' implies that the person or act is bad and against the law. If you want to describe something bad but not illegal, use words like 'terrible' or 'horrible'.