formalidad
“formalidad” means “seriousness” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
seriousness
Also: reliability, professionalism
📝 In Action
Admiro su formalidad; siempre cumple con lo que promete.
B1I admire his reliability; he always fulfills what he promises.
En este trabajo se requiere mucha formalidad.
B1A lot of professionalism is required in this job.
Le falta formalidad para liderar el proyecto.
B2He lacks the seriousness needed to lead the project.
formality
Also: red tape, protocol
📝 In Action
La firma del contrato es solo una formalidad.
B1Signing the contract is just a formality.
Debemos cumplir con todas las formalidades legales.
B2We must comply with all the legal formalities.
Perdimos la beca por un error de formalidad en la solicitud.
C1We lost the scholarship due to a procedural error in the application.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "formalidad" in Spanish:
formality→professionalism→protocol→red tape→reliability→seriousness→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: formalidad
Question 1 of 3
If a boss says a worker has 'mucha formalidad', they mean the worker is:
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'formalis', which relates to the 'form' or outward appearance of things, combined with the suffix '-itas' which creates a noun showing a quality.
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'formalidad' always mean the same thing as 'formality' in English?
Not exactly. While both can mean 'official procedure,' the Spanish 'formalidad' is much more common as a compliment for someone who is serious, punctual, and reliable.
How do I say someone is unreliable using this word?
You can say they have 'poca formalidad' (little reliability) or 'falta de formalidad' (lack of reliability).
Is it a 'false friend'?
It's a 'partial false friend.' It shares one meaning (official procedure), but its use to describe personal character (being a person of your word) doesn't translate directly to 'formality' in English.