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culpa

kool-pah'kulpa

“culpa” means “fault” in Spanish (responsibility for a mistake).

fault, blame

Also: guilt
NounfA2
A simple storybook illustration of a small child sitting next to a large puddle of spilled milk and a tipped-over glass, looking distressed, symbolizing fault.

📝 In Action

No fue mi culpa, el vaso se cayó.

A2

It wasn't my fault, the glass fell.

El conductor tuvo la culpa del accidente.

B1

The driver was to blame for the accident.

Ella siente mucha culpa por lo que dijo.

B1

She feels a lot of guilt for what she said.

Es fácil echar la culpa a los demás.

B2

It's easy to blame others.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • tener la culpa – to be at fault / to be to blame
  • echar la culpa – to blame someone
  • sentimiento de culpa – feeling of guilt
  • por culpa de – because of / due to (something negative)
  • culpa mía – my fault / my bad

Idioms & Expressions

  • mea culpa – An admission of one's own fault, a formal acknowledgment of error.

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "culpa" in Spanish:

blame→fault→guilt→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: culpa

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly means 'The traffic is to blame for my delay'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes directly from the Latin word 'culpa', which meant the same thing: 'fault', 'blame', or 'guilt'.

First recorded: Ancient Latin

Cognates (Related words)

English: culpableItalian: colpaPortuguese: culpaFrench: coulpe

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'culpa' and 'culpabilidad'?

'Culpa' is the more common, everyday word for fault or blame. 'Culpabilidad' is a bit more formal and often refers to the legal state of being guilty ('guiltiness') or the deep psychological feeling of guilt.

Can I say 'Es mi culpa'?

You will hear native speakers say 'es mi culpa,' but it's much more standard and grammatically common to say 'tengo la culpa' or just 'culpa mía.' It's best to stick with 'tener la culpa' as you're learning.