ilegales
“ilegales” means “illegal” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
illegal
Also: unlawful
📝 In Action
La venta de esas sustancias es completamente ilegal y las autoridades están investigando.
B1The sale of those substances is completely illegal and the authorities are investigating.
Las descargas ilegales han afectado mucho a la industria musical.
B2Illegal downloads have greatly affected the music industry.
undocumented people
Also: illegal immigrants
📝 In Action
El debate se centró en la situación de los ilegales que viven en la ciudad sin papeles.
B2The debate focused on the situation of the undocumented people living in the city without papers.
El gobierno ha prometido buscar soluciones para los ilegales que trabajan en la agricultura.
C1The government has promised to find solutions for the undocumented individuals working in agriculture.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "ilegales" in Spanish:
illegal→illegal immigrants→undocumented people→unlawful→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: ilegales
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'ilegales' as a noun (referring to people)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes directly from the Latin structure *illegalis*, which is formed by combining the negative prefix *in-* (meaning 'not') and the root *legalis* (meaning 'lawful'). The 'n' in the prefix changes to 'i' when followed by an 'l' sound.
First recorded: 15th century (Spanish context)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the singular form of 'ilegales'?
The singular form is 'ilegal,' which can be used for both masculine and feminine singular nouns (e.g., 'un acto ilegal,' 'una acción ilegal').
Is 'ilegales' always a negative word?
Yes, by definition, 'ilegal' always means 'not conforming to the law or rules,' so it carries a negative connotation related to legality.