criminal
/kree-mee-NAHL/
criminal
This image shows objects related to the legal system, illustrating the adjective form of 'criminal', meaning relating to crime or law.
criminal(adjective)
criminal
?Relating to crime or law
unlawful
?Describing an action
,illegal
?Describing an activity
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Always the Same
As an adjective, 'criminal' is one of those words that stays the same whether the noun it describes is masculine (un acto criminal) or feminine (una intención criminal).
⭐ Usage Tips
Placement
Like most descriptive adjectives, 'criminal' usually goes after the noun it describes: 'investigación criminal' (criminal investigation).
A person who breaks the law is a 'criminal'. This image depicts the consequence of being a lawbreaker.
criminal(noun)
criminal
?Lawbreaker
culprit
?The person responsible
,offender
?Someone who has committed an offense
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Flexibility
When 'criminal' is a noun, the word itself doesn't change spelling, but you must change the article to match the person's gender: 'el criminal' (man) vs. 'la criminal' (woman).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Crimen' and 'Criminal'
Mistake: "Using 'el criminal' when you mean 'the crime'."
Correction: Use 'el crimen' for the bad act and 'el criminal' for the person who did it.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Alternatives
In legal documents, you might often see 'el delincuente' (the offender) or 'el acusado' (the accused) instead of 'el criminal'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: criminal
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'criminal' as a noun?
📚 More Resources
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'.