ilegal
/ee-leh-GAHL/
illegal
When an action is ilegal, it is against the law.
ilegal(adjective)
illegal
?against the law
unlawful
?not permitted
,illicit
?describing goods or activities
📝 In Action
Fumar en este edificio es completamente ilegal.
A2Smoking in this building is completely illegal.
La venta de ese producto se declaró ilegal.
B1The sale of that product was declared unlawful.
Cometió un acto ilegal al robar el coche.
B1He committed an illegal act by stealing the car.
💡 Grammar Points
Agreement is Key
Like many Spanish adjectives, 'ilegal' must match the number of the noun it describes (e.g., 'prácticas ilegales'). Luckily, it stays the same for masculine and feminine nouns because it ends in '-l' (e.g., 'el acto ilegal,' 'la acción ilegal').
Always Appears After the Noun
In Spanish, descriptive adjectives like 'ilegal' almost always come after the noun they modify: 'una práctica ilegal', not 'una ilegal práctica'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Plural
Mistake: "Muchos actos ilegal."
Correction: Muchos actos ilegales. (The adjective must end in '-es' when describing plural nouns.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Use 'Ilegal' for Laws, 'Prohibido' for Rules
Use 'ilegal' when referring to things that break official, governmental laws. Use 'prohibido' (forbidden) for simple rules or signs (e.g., 'Prohibido fumar'—Smoking forbidden).
As a noun, ilegal can refer to an undocumented person.
ilegal(noun)
undocumented person
?preferred, non-pejorative term
illegal immigrant
?literal but less favored term
📝 In Action
Hay un debate sobre cómo ayudar a los ilegales a obtener sus papeles.
B2There is a debate about how to help undocumented people obtain their papers.
La policía detuvo a varios ilegales en la frontera.
B2The police detained several undocumented people at the border.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Used as a Noun
Sometimes, Spanish speakers drop the person's identity and use the adjective 'ilegal' directly as a noun to refer to that person (e.g., 'el ilegal' or 'la ilegal'). This is a common pattern for many descriptive adjectives in Spanish.
⭐ Usage Tips
Be Sensitive: Use Alternatives
In modern, respectful language, it is strongly recommended to use 'indocumentado/a' (undocumented) or 'persona sin estatus legal' (person without legal status) instead of using 'ilegal' as a noun for a person, as the latter can be seen as offensive or dehumanizing.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: ilegal
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'ilegal' as an adjective?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'ilegal' change gender?
No, not like 'rojo' (roja). 'Ilegal' ends in '-l,' which means it stays the same for both masculine and feminine nouns (e.g., 'el coche ilegal' and 'la acción ilegal'). However, it does change to 'ilegales' when describing plural things.
What is the difference between 'ilegal' and 'prohibido'?
'Ilegal' is used for actions that break serious laws enforced by the government (like drug trafficking). 'Prohibido' (forbidden) is generally used for rules or regulations set by an authority (like 'No parking' or 'No smoking').