criminales
“criminales” means “criminals” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
criminals, offenders
Also: felons
📝 In Action
La policía detuvo a varios criminales después del robo.
B1The police arrested several criminals after the robbery.
Es importante que los criminales paguen por sus actos.
B2It is important that the offenders pay for their actions.
Estos criminales operan en una red internacional.
B1These criminals operate in an international network.
criminal
Also: illegal, felonious
📝 In Action
Las actividades criminales deben ser erradicadas.
B1Criminal activities must be eradicated.
El abogado estudió las leyes criminales del país.
B2The lawyer studied the country's criminal laws.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "criminales" in Spanish:
criminal→criminals→felonious→felons→illegal→offenders→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: criminales
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'criminales' as a noun (referring to people)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the Latin *criminalis*, which itself derives from *crimen*, meaning 'charge' or 'offense.' It has been used in Spanish for centuries to describe things and people related to breaking the law.
First recorded: 15th century (as 'criminal')
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'criminales' usually masculine or feminine?
When referring to a group of people (the noun), 'criminales' is often used in the masculine plural ('los criminales') as the default form for mixed groups or when gender is unknown. When used as an adjective, it must match the gender of the noun it describes (e.g., 'actividades criminales' - feminine plural).
How is 'criminales' different from 'delincuentes'?
They are synonyms, but 'criminales' often refers to people who commit more serious offenses (felonies), while 'delincuentes' can sometimes refer to those who commit less severe crimes or offenses (delinquents).