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A brightly colored storybook illustration showing a simplified person deliberately stepping over a thick, bright red barrier tape marked with a universal prohibition symbol, symbolizing the act of breaking a law.

delitos

deh-LEE-tohs

nounmB1
crimes?acts that break the law,offenses?legal violations
Also:felonies?serious crimes (often used to distinguish from lesser offenses),misdemeanors?less serious offenses (depending on region)

📝 In Action

La policía está investigando una serie de delitos menores en el vecindario.

B1

The police are investigating a series of minor offenses in the neighborhood.

Los delitos financieros son a menudo difíciles de probar en la corte.

B2

Financial crimes are often difficult to prove in court.

La lista de delitos graves incluye el robo y el fraude.

B1

The list of serious crimes includes theft and fraud.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • crímenes (crimes (often more severe/heinous))
  • faltas (minor offenses/infractions)

Antonyms

  • virtudes (virtues)
  • legalidad (legality)

Common Collocations

  • cometer delitos – to commit crimes
  • delitos graves – serious crimes/felonies
  • prevenir delitos – to prevent crimes

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Reminder

Remember that 'delito' is a masculine noun, so when you use it with describing words (adjectives), those words must also be masculine: 'delitos graves' (serious crimes), not 'delitos graves'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Delitos vs. Crímenes

Mistake: "Using 'crímenes' when the context is general legal violation."

Correction: While often interchangeable, 'delitos' is the standard, neutral legal term for 'offenses' or 'crimes' in most Spanish-speaking countries. 'Crímenes' often implies a more violent or severe act, like a murder.

⭐ Usage Tips

Formal Contexts

If you are discussing law, statistics, or government reports, 'delitos' is the precise and professional word to use for 'crimes'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: delitos

Question 1 of 2

Which word is the most standard, neutral term for 'crimes' or 'offenses' in a formal legal context?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

delito(crime, offense (singular)) - noun
delincuente(offender, criminal) - noun
delinquir(to commit a crime, to offend) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'delitos' always masculine?

Yes. The singular form is 'el delito' (masculine), so the plural 'delitos' is also masculine and requires masculine articles and adjectives.

How do I say 'to commit a crime'?

The most common and formal way is 'cometer un delito'. You can also use the related verb 'delinquir'.