informante
een-for-MAHN-teh
📝 In Action
El informante de la policía prefirió mantenerse en el anonimato.
B2The police informant preferred to remain anonymous.
Para este estudio lingüístico, trabajamos con un informante nativo de la región.
C1For this linguistic study, we worked with a native speaker source from the region.
La periodista se negó a revelar la identidad de su informante.
B2The journalist refused to reveal the identity of her source.
💡 Grammar Points
One word, two genders
This word is what we call 'common for gender.' The word itself doesn't change from 'o' to 'a'; only the 'the' or 'a' before it changes (el informante for a man, la informante for a woman).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Don't use 'informador' for everything
Mistake: "Using 'informador' when referring to a secret police contact."
Correction: Use 'informante' for people giving secret info to authorities, and 'informador' for someone whose job it is to provide general information, like a news reporter.
⭐ Usage Tips
Is it positive or negative?
While 'informante' is a neutral word, in a crime context it can feel negative (like a 'snitch'). In science or journalism, it is a perfectly professional term.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: informante
Question 1 of 2
If you are talking about a female source in a news article, how would you say 'the informant'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'informante' always mean someone who talks to the police?
Not always. While that is the most common use in movies, it is also used in research (the person being interviewed) and journalism (a source).
What is the difference between 'informante' and 'informador'?
An 'informante' usually gives specific, often hidden information to a specific person. An 'informador' is someone who provides information to the public, like a briefing officer or a journalist.