federales
feh-deh-RAH-less/feðeˈɾales/“federales” means “federal police”. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
federal police, federal agents
Also: feds
📝 In Action
Los federales llegaron a la escena del crimen muy rápido.
B1The federal police arrived at the crime scene very quickly.
¿Viste la camioneta? Eran los federales haciendo una redada.
B2Did you see the truck? It was the federal agents conducting a raid.
Tuvimos que mostrarles nuestros documentos a los federales en la frontera.
B1We had to show our documents to the federal officers at the border.
federal
Also: national
📝 In Action
Las leyes federales son aplicables en todo el territorio.
B1Federal laws are applicable throughout the entire territory.
Necesitamos fondos federales para terminar el proyecto de infraestructura.
B2We need federal funds to finish the infrastructure project.
Las elecciones federales se celebran cada cuatro años.
B1Federal elections are held every four years.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: federales
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'federales' as a noun (referring to police/agents)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the Latin root *foedus*, meaning 'treaty' or 'covenant.' This origin highlights the idea of a union or agreement between different states or parties that form a central government.
First recorded: 15th century (root word)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'federales' always masculine, even if it refers to female agents?
Yes. When referring to a mixed group or a general force, the default plural noun form in Spanish is masculine plural ('los federales'). If you wanted to specify a group of only female agents, you would use 'las agentes federales'.
Can I use 'federales' to talk about the US government?
Absolutely. Spanish speakers often use 'los federales' as a shorthand for US national agencies like the FBI, DEA, or Border Patrol, distinguishing them from state or local police.