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criterio

kree-TEH-ryoh/kɾiˈteɾjo/

judgment

Also: good sense, discretion
NounmB1
An owl wearing glasses looking thoughtfully at two different paths, choosing the safer one.

📝 In Action

Confío en tu criterio para elegir el restaurante.

A2

I trust your judgment to choose the restaurant.

Es un hombre con poco criterio; siempre hace lo que otros dicen.

B1

He is a man with little judgment of his own; he always does what others say.

Debes actuar con criterio en situaciones de riesgo.

B2

You must act with discretion in risky situations.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • juicio (judgment/sense)
  • discernimiento (discernment)

Antonyms

  • insensatez (foolishness)

Common Collocations

  • buen criterio – good judgment
  • a mi criterio – in my view / according to my judgment
  • falta de criterio – lack of common sense

criterion

Also: standard, guideline
NounmB2formal
A wooden ruler being used to measure the height of a small growing plant.

📝 In Action

¿Cuáles son los criterios de selección para el puesto?

B1

What are the selection criteria for the position?

Cada profesor tiene su propio criterio de evaluación.

B2

Each teacher has their own evaluation standard.

Necesitamos unificar criterios antes de empezar el proyecto.

C1

We need to align our standards before starting the project.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • unificar criterios – to reach a common understanding/standard
  • criterios de evaluación – evaluation criteria
  • bajo un criterio – under a standard

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: criterio

Question 1 of 3

If someone says 'A mi criterio, la película es aburrida', what are they doing?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
criticar(to criticize) — Verb
crítica(criticism / review) — Noun
crítico(critical / critic) — Adjective
criterioso(discerning / sensible) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Greek word 'kriterion', which means a means of judging. It passed through Latin as 'criterion' before becoming the Spanish word we use today.

First recorded: 17th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: criterionFrench: critère

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'criterio' mean 'criticism'?

No. 'Criterio' is the standard or the ability to judge. The actual act of saying something is bad is 'crítica'.

Is 'criterio' a formal word?

It is slightly more formal than 'opinión', but it is used daily in common conversations when talking about someone's common sense or judgment.

Can I use 'criterio' for scientific standards?

Absolutely. It is the standard term for 'criteria' in science, law, and medicine.