criminales
/kree-mee-NAH-les/
criminals
Illustrating the noun form, 'criminales' refers to people who commit crimes.
criminales(noun)
criminals
?people who commit crimes
,offenders
?legal context
felons
?serious crimes
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Plural Form
This word is the plural form of 'criminal.' Since 'criminal' ends in an 'L' (a consonant), you add '-es' to make it plural.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Gender Agreement
Mistake: "Las criminales (when referring to a mixed group or unknown gender)"
Correction: Use 'los criminales' as the default plural for mixed groups or when the gender is not specified, even if there are women involved.
⭐ Usage Tips
The Root Word
Remember that the singular form is 'criminal' (ending in L), which is the same whether you are talking about a man or a woman (un criminal, una criminal).
The adjective 'criminales' describes things or situations related to crime.
criminales(adjective)
criminal
?relating to crime (plural context)
illegal
?describing activities
,felonious
?legal description
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Agreement
When used as a describing word (adjective), 'criminales' must match the thing it describes. Since 'criminales' is plural, the thing it describes must also be plural (e.g., 'actividades' or 'códigos').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Singular Form
Mistake: "Las actividades criminal (missing the plural 'es')"
Correction: Make sure the adjective matches the noun: 'Las actividades criminales'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Positioning
Like many Spanish adjectives, 'criminales' usually comes after the noun it describes: 'problemas criminales' (criminal problems).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: criminales
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'criminales' as a noun (referring to people)?
📚 More Resources
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).