oficial
/o-fee-SYAL/
official
As an adjective, oficial describes something authorized or formal, like a document bearing an official seal.
oficial(Adjective)
official
?authorized, formal
formal
?not casual
,certified
?officially recognized
📝 In Action
El comunicado oficial será publicado mañana.
A2The official announcement will be published tomorrow.
Necesitas una traducción oficial del documento.
B1You need an official translation of the document.
La versión oficial de los hechos es diferente.
B1The official version of the events is different.
💡 Grammar Points
One Form for Masculine & Feminine
'Oficial' is a handy adjective because it doesn't change for masculine or feminine things. You say 'el comunicado oficial' (masculine) and 'la versión oficial' (feminine). It only changes for plural things: 'los documentos oficiales'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the '-es' for Plural
Mistake: "Los documentos oficial son importantes."
Correction: Los documentos oficiales son importantes. Because 'documentos' is plural, 'oficial' needs to become 'oficiales' to match.
⭐ Usage Tips
'Official' vs. 'Formal'
While 'oficial' can sometimes mean 'formal', it usually implies something is authorized by a person or group in charge, like a government or a company. Use it when something has an official stamp of approval.
As a noun, oficial often refers to a person in authority, such as a police officer (oficial de policía).
oficial(Noun)
officer
?police or military
official
?government, sports referee
,clerk
?in an office
,skilled worker
?in a trade, e.g., plumber, carpenter
📝 In Action
Un oficial de policía me pidió la documentación.
B1A police officer asked me for my documents.
El presidente se reunió con altos oficiales del ejército.
B2The president met with high-ranking army officers.
Un oficial del gobierno visitó nuestra ciudad.
B2A government official visited our city.
Mi hermano es oficial de primera en una carpintería.
C1My brother is a first-grade skilled worker at a carpentry shop.
💡 Grammar Points
Talking About Women
To talk about a female officer or official, you can often just use 'la oficial'. For example, 'La oficial me ayudó'. The feminine form 'oficiala' exists but is much less common.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
Because 'oficial' can mean anything from a police officer to a skilled plumber, you have to rely on the rest of the sentence to know which one it is. Look for clues like 'de policía' (of police) or 'de carpintería' (of carpentry).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: oficial
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'oficial' to describe a person?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'oficial' and 'funcionario'?
Good question! They can sometimes overlap. 'Funcionario' almost always refers to a civil servant or someone who works for the government ('un funcionario público'). 'Oficial' is broader. It can be a government official, but it can also be a police officer, a military officer, or even a skilled worker in a private company. All 'funcionarios' are a type of 'oficial', but not all 'oficiales' are 'funcionarios'.
Is 'oficial' always a serious word?
Mostly, yes. It relates to authority, rules, and formal positions. You wouldn't use it in a casual, slangy way. For example, you might talk about the 'versión oficial' of a story (what the authorities say happened), and your friend might tell you the 'chisme' (gossip), which is the unofficial version!