federales
/feh-deh-RAH-less/
federal police
A depiction of federal police agents (federales).
federales(noun)
federal police
?agents of the national government
,federal agents
?law enforcement
feds
?informal shorthand
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Plural
Even though it refers to a group, 'federales' is a plural noun and always needs plural articles (los, unos) and plural verbs (llegaron, son).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Singular
Mistake: "El federal llegó."
Correction: While grammatically correct, using 'el federal' (the singular agent) is less common than using the full phrase 'el agente federal'. 'Federales' is usually used when referring to the force as a whole.
⭐ Usage Tips
Informal Shorthand
In many Spanish-speaking countries, 'federales' is the common, quick way to refer to agents working for the national government, often contrasting them with local or state police.
This image illustrates the concept of something being federal (federales), relating to a centralized government.
federales(adjective)
federal
?relating to a centralized government
national
?relating to the country's government
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Placement
Like most descriptive adjectives in Spanish, 'federales' usually comes after the noun it describes (e.g., 'leyes federales').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Gender Agreement
Mistake: "Leyes federales (femenino)"
Correction: Remember that adjectives must match the noun. If you are describing plural female nouns (like 'leyes'), you use 'federales'. If describing plural male nouns (like 'impuestos'), you also use 'federales' because the word doesn't change based on gender.
⭐ Usage Tips
Contrast with Local
This word is often used specifically to differentiate something controlled by the central, national government from something controlled by the state or city government.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: federales
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'federales' as a noun (referring to police/agents)?
📚 More Resources
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.