piratas
“piratas” means “pirates” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
pirates
Also: buccaneers
📝 In Action
Los piratas del Caribe buscaban cofres de oro.
A1The pirates of the Caribbean were looking for chests of gold.
En el siglo XVII, los piratas eran una amenaza constante para el comercio marítimo.
B1In the 17th century, pirates were a constant threat to maritime trade.
pirated
Also: illicit
📝 In Action
Las películas piratas se venden en la calle a un precio muy bajo.
B1Pirated movies are sold on the street at a very low price.
Debemos evitar descargar software piratas, ya que pueden contener virus.
B2We must avoid downloading pirated software, as it might contain viruses.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: piratas
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'piratas' as an adjective, describing something illegally copied?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the Greek word *peirates*, meaning 'one who attacks' or 'one who attempts.' It traveled through Latin and eventually became our modern word for sea robbers.
First recorded: Around the 13th century in Spanish.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'pirata' (singular) end in 'a' if it refers to a man?
Some Spanish nouns that refer to a profession or role, like 'pirata' (pirate) or 'dentista' (dentist), keep the '-a' ending regardless of the person's gender. When you use it in a sentence, you change the article: 'el pirata' (the male pirate) or 'la pirata' (the female pirate).
Can 'piratas' be used to describe hackers or data thieves?
Yes, absolutely! While the original meaning relates to the sea, 'piratas' is often used metaphorically today to describe individuals or groups who illegally copy software, music, or steal data online.