culpabilidad
kool-pah-bee-lee-DAHD
📝 In Action
Siento una gran culpabilidad por haberle mentido a mi mejor amigo.
B1I feel a great sense of guilt for having lied to my best friend.
El abogado intentó demostrar la falta de culpabilidad de su cliente.
B2The lawyer tried to prove his client's lack of guilt.
Es difícil vivir con ese sentimiento de culpabilidad constante.
B1It is difficult to live with that constant feeling of guilt.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Feminine
Words ending in '-dad' are almost always feminine. You should always use 'la' or 'una' with this word.
Abstract Concept
This word refers to a state or a feeling. When talking about the 'fault' of a specific mistake, people often prefer the shorter word 'culpa'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Guilt vs. Fault
Mistake: "Saying 'Es mi culpabilidad' for a small mistake."
Correction: Say 'Es mi culpa'. Use 'culpabilidad' for the psychological feeling or the formal legal status.
⭐ Usage Tips
The 'Sense of' Pattern
It is very common to pair this with 'sentimiento de' (feeling of) to describe how someone is feeling internally.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: culpabilidad
Question 1 of 2
Which word would you use to say 'It's my fault' in a casual conversation?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a difference between 'culpa' and 'culpabilidad'?
Yes. 'Culpa' is usually used for specific instances of blame ('It's my fault'). 'Culpabilidad' is more formal and refers to the psychological state of feeling guilty or the legal responsibility for a crime.
Can 'culpabilidad' be plural?
Yes, 'culpabilidades', but it is very rare. It is almost always used in the singular because it's an abstract concept.