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denunciar

deh-noon-syahrdenunˈsjaɾ

“denunciar” means “to report” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to report

Also: to file a complaint
VerbB1regular ar
Latin America
A person speaking to a police officer in uniform and pointing toward a distant object.
gerunddenunciando
past Participledenunciado
infinitivedenunciar

📝 In Action

Tienes que denunciar el robo de tu pasaporte inmediatamente.

B1

You have to report the theft of your passport immediately.

Ella denunció al vecino por ruidos molestos.

B1

She filed a complaint against the neighbor for annoying noises.

Si ves un crimen, es tu deber denunciarlo.

B2

If you see a crime, it is your duty to report it.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • denunciar un robo – to report a robbery
  • poner una denuncia – to file a report

to denounce

Also: to speak out against
VerbB2regular arformal
A person standing on a small wooden crate speaking to a group of people, gesturing with their hands.
gerunddenunciando
past Participledenunciado
infinitivedenunciar

📝 In Action

El sindicato denunció las malas condiciones de trabajo.

B2

The union denounced the poor working conditions.

Debemos denunciar la injusticia social.

C1

We must speak out against social injustice.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • condenar (to condemn)
  • criticar (to criticize)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • denunciar la corrupción – to denounce corruption
  • denunciar un tratado – to formally terminate a treaty

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yodenunciara
túdenunciaras
él/ella/usteddenunciara
nosotrosdenunciáramos
vosotrosdenunciarais
ellos/ellas/ustedesdenunciaran

Present Subjunctive

yodenuncie
túdenuncies
él/ella/usteddenuncie
nosotrosdenunciemos
vosotrosdenunciéis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdenuncien

Indicative

Preterite

yodenuncié
túdenunciaste
él/ella/usteddenunció
nosotrosdenunciamos
vosotrosdenunciasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdenunciaron

Imperfect

yodenunciaba
túdenunciabas
él/ella/usteddenunciaba
nosotrosdenunciábamos
vosotrosdenunciabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesdenunciaban

Present

yodenuncio
túdenuncias
él/ella/usteddenuncia
nosotrosdenunciamos
vosotrosdenunciáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdenuncian
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "denunciar" in Spanish:

to denounce→to report→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: denunciar

Question 1 of 3

If your wallet is stolen in Madrid, what should you do?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
la denuncia(the report / complaint) — Noun
el denunciante(the whistleblower / complainant) — Noun
denunciado(the accused / reported person) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From Latin 'denuntiare', where 'de-' means 'completely' and 'nuntiare' means 'to announce' or 'to report news'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: denounceFrench: dénoncer

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'denunciar' only for crimes?

Mostly, yes. It's used for reporting crimes, rule-breaking, or publicly condemning bad behavior. For minor 'tattling' among kids, words like 'acusar' are more common.

What's the difference between 'una denuncia' and 'una demanda'?

A 'denuncia' is usually for criminal matters (police), while a 'demanda' is a lawsuit in civil matters (money, contracts).

Can I use 'reportar' instead?

In Latin America, 'reportar' is often understood due to English influence, but 'denunciar' is more precise and universally correct for legal reports.