criticar
“criticar” means “to criticize” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to criticize
Also: to judge
📝 In Action
No es bueno criticar a tus amigos a sus espaldas.
A2It's not good to criticize your friends behind their backs.
Mi jefe siempre critica mi forma de trabajar.
B1My boss always criticizes my way of working.
Mucha gente criticó la decisión del gobierno.
B2Many people criticized the government's decision.
to review
Also: to critique
📝 In Action
El profesor criticó el ensayo de forma constructiva.
B2The teacher reviewed the essay in a constructive way.
Es difícil criticar una obra de arte tan compleja.
C1It is difficult to critique such a complex work of art.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: criticar
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'I criticized' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Greek word 'kritikos,' which means 'able to judge.' It passed through Latin as 'criticare.'
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'criticar' always mean something negative?
Usually, yes. In everyday conversation, it means pointing out faults. However, in art or academics, it can mean a balanced 'critique' or 'review' that includes both good and bad points.
What is the difference between 'criticar' and 'juzgar'?
'Criticar' is specifically about speaking or writing about faults. 'Juzgar' (to judge) is a broader mental process of forming an opinion, though they are often used as synonyms.
Why is the 'yo' form 'critiqué' and not 'criticé'?
Spanish spelling rules state that 'ce' sounds like 'se.' To keep the hard 'k' sound from the original word 'criticar,' we use 'que' instead.