responsables
/reh-spon-SAH-blehs/
responsible
The adjective 'responsable' describes someone having accountability or control over a situation, symbolized by holding the key.
responsables(adjective)
responsible
?having accountability or control
,accountable
?expected to justify actions
trustworthy
?describing reliable people
📝 In Action
Los empleados responsables siempre llegan a tiempo.
A2The responsible employees always arrive on time.
Necesitamos personas responsables para manejar las finanzas.
B1We need responsible people to handle the finances.
Las decisiones que tomaron fueron muy responsables.
B2The decisions they made were very responsible.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Agreement
Since this word describes a group of people or things (plural), it must end in 's'. Because the singular form 'responsable' ends in 'e', the plural is the same whether you are describing a masculine group (los niños) or a feminine group (las niñas).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Singular Form Incorrectly
Mistake: "Los directores son responsable."
Correction: Los directores son responsables. (Remember to make the description plural if the group is plural.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with Ser
You almost always use 'responsables' with the verb 'ser' (to be) to describe someone's inherent character or role.
As a noun, 'los responsables' refers to the people who are accountable for an action or event.
responsables(noun)
those responsible
?the people who caused an event or are accountable
,the people in charge
?leaders or managers
officials
?people holding a position of authority
📝 In Action
Los responsables de la empresa emitieron un comunicado.
B1The people in charge of the company issued a statement.
La policía busca a los responsables del robo.
B2The police are looking for those responsible for the robbery.
¿Quiénes son los responsables aquí?
A2Who are the officials/people in charge here?
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Hidden' Noun
When 'responsables' is used as a noun, it means 'the responsible people.' Spanish often drops the noun when it's obvious from the context, letting the adjective (responsables) stand alone.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Translating Literally
Mistake: "We found the responsible."
Correction: We found those responsible. (Always include 'those' or 'the people' in English for clarity when it's used as a noun.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with Articles
The noun form almost always appears with a definite article like 'los' or 'las' (the) right before it, showing you are referring to a specific group of people.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: responsables
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'responsables' as a noun (referring to people, not describing them)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'responsables' work for both masculine and feminine groups?
The singular form 'responsable' ends in the vowel 'e'. In Spanish, adjectives ending in 'e' do not change their spelling for masculine or feminine nouns. When you make it plural, you just add '-s' (or '-es' in this case), keeping the form the same for both genders.