fraude
“fraude” means “fraud” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
fraud, swindle
Also: scam, deception
📝 In Action
La policía investiga un presunto fraude electoral.
B2The police are investigating alleged electoral fraud.
El contador cometió fraude fiscal y ahora está en la cárcel.
B1The accountant committed tax fraud and is now in jail.
Recibimos una alerta sobre un posible fraude con tarjetas de crédito.
B1We received an alert about potential credit card fraud.
a letdown, a disappointment
📝 In Action
Fuimos al restaurante nuevo y resultó ser un fraude total.
B2We went to the new restaurant and it turned out to be a total fraud (a huge disappointment).
Su presentación fue un fraude; no dijo nada interesante.
C1His presentation was a fraud; he didn't say anything interesting.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "fraude" in Spanish:
a disappointment→a letdown→deception→fraud→scam→swindle→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: fraude
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'fraude' in the informal sense of disappointment?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes directly from the Latin word *fraus*, meaning 'deceit, injury, or crime.' It entered Spanish in its current form, retaining the core meaning of deliberate trickery.
First recorded: Medieval Spanish period
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'fraude' always a serious crime?
Not always. While 'fraude' often refers to serious legal and financial crimes (like tax fraud), it is also commonly used in everyday conversation to describe something that is a big disappointment or a total fake (like a bad movie or a terrible meal).
How do you form the verb related to 'fraude'?
The related verb is 'defraudar,' which means 'to defraud' (commit fraud) or, more generally, 'to disappoint' or 'let down.' For example: 'Me defraudaste' (You disappointed me).