inocentes
“inocentes” means “innocent” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
innocent, naive
Also: harmless
📝 In Action
Los niños eran inocentes y no entendían la broma.
A2The children were innocent and didn't understand the joke.
El jurado declaró a los acusados inocentes de todos los cargos.
B1The jury declared the accused innocent of all charges.
the innocent
📝 In Action
Siempre debemos proteger a los inocentes.
B1We must always protect the innocent.
La guerra siempre resulta en la muerte de muchos inocentes.
B2War always results in the death of many innocent people.
practical jokes, Holy Innocents
📝 In Action
¡Cuidado! Hoy es el Día de los Inocentes.
B1Be careful! Today is the Day of the Holy Innocents (April Fools' Day).
Me hicieron un inocente y casi me lo creo.
B2They played a prank on me and I almost believed it.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: inocentes
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'inocentes' to refer to a cultural tradition?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the Latin *innocens*, which is built from *in-* (meaning 'not') and *nocere* (meaning 'to harm'). So, the original meaning is literally 'not harmful' or 'not hurting anyone'.
First recorded: 13th century (in Spanish)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'inocentes' the same as 'naive'?
Yes, 'inocentes' can mean naive, especially when describing someone who is easily fooled or lacks knowledge of the world. However, it is also the primary word for 'not guilty' in a legal sense.
Why is the plural form 'inocentes' used for the Day of the Holy Innocents?
The holiday refers to the plurality of the infants killed by King Herod (the Holy Innocents). By extension, the pranks played on that day are simply called 'inocentes' as well.