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culpable

/kool-PAH-bleh/

guilty

A simple cartoon figure standing alone, looking down with a deeply ashamed and guilty expression, with shoulders slumped.

When someone is found culpable, they are legally or morally responsible, or 'guilty.'

culpable(Adjective)

m/fA2

guilty

?

legally or morally responsible

Also:

responsible

?

for a negative event or mistake

,

blameworthy

?

deserving blame

📝 In Action

El jurado lo declaró culpable después de dos horas de deliberación.

B1

The jury declared him guilty after two hours of deliberation.

Me siento culpable por haberme comido todo el pastel.

A2

I feel guilty for having eaten the whole cake.

Si no estudias, serás culpable de tu propio fracaso.

B2

If you don't study, you will be responsible for your own failure.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • responsable (responsible)
  • causante (the cause/responsible party)

Antonyms

  • inocente (innocent)
  • libre (free (of blame))

Common Collocations

  • declarar culpable – to find/declare guilty
  • sentirse culpable – to feel guilty

💡 Grammar Points

Gender is Easy

Unlike many Spanish adjectives, 'culpable' does not change its ending to match masculine or feminine nouns. You use 'el hombre culpable' and 'la mujer culpable'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Connecting the Blame

Mistake: "Soy culpable para el error. (Incorrect use of 'para')"

Correction: Soy culpable del error. (The word needs the preposition 'de' when you specify what the guilt is about. 'De' + 'el' becomes 'del'.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Use 'Estar', not 'Ser'

To talk about the feeling of being guilty right now, use the verb 'estar': 'Estoy culpable' (I feel guilty). Use 'ser' (Es culpable) mainly in legal or moral judgments that are more permanent.

A cartoon raccoon wearing a small black mask stands next to an empty, open cookie jar, clearly having been caught in the act.

If you are culpable, you are 'the culprit'—the person who committed the wrong deed.

culpable(Noun)

mB1

the culprit

?

the person who is guilty

Also:

the guilty party

?

in a legal sense

,

the offender

?

general context

📝 In Action

La policía identificó al culpable gracias a las cámaras de seguridad.

B1

The police identified the culprit thanks to the security cameras.

El director no pudo encontrar un solo culpable para el problema.

B2

The director couldn't find a single guilty party for the problem.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • autor (perpetrator)
  • infractor (violator)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • buscar al culpable – to look for the culprit

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective Working as a Noun

When you put 'el' or 'la' in front of 'culpable,' it turns the adjective into a noun meaning 'the guilty person.' For a female culprit, you use 'la culpable'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Formal Context

Using 'el culpable' is slightly more formal than saying 'la persona responsable.' It's often reserved for situations where blame is clear and serious.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: culpable

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly specifies what someone is guilty of?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

culpa(guilt, fault) - noun
inculpar(to accuse, to blame) - verb
disculpa(apology, excuse) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'culpable' change based on whether the person is male or female?

No, the form of the word itself always stays the same: 'culpable.' It only changes in number (culpable singular, culpables plural), but not gender. You say 'el hombre culpable' and 'la mujer culpable'.

How is 'culpable' different from 'responsable'?

'Culpable' almost always carries a negative moral or legal weight (guilty, blameworthy). 'Responsable' is more neutral and means simply 'responsible for a task or outcome,' which can be positive or negative.