sospechosos
“sospechosos” means “suspicious” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
suspicious
Also: shady, dubious
📝 In Action
Sus movimientos nos parecieron muy sospechosos.
B1Their movements seemed very suspicious to us.
Hubo ruidos sospechosos afuera de la casa toda la noche.
A2There were suspicious noises outside the house all night.
Los paquetes sospechosos fueron puestos en cuarentena.
B1The suspicious packages were quarantined.
suspects
Also: persons of interest
📝 In Action
La policía identificó a tres sospechosos en el robo.
B1The police identified three suspects in the robbery.
Los sospechosos fueron interrogados durante horas.
B2The suspects were interrogated for hours.
Uno de los sospechosos resultó ser inocente.
B2One of the suspects turned out to be innocent.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: sospechosos
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'sospechosos' as a noun (meaning 'suspects')?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the verb 'sospechar,' which traces back to the Latin word *suspicāri*. This Latin root combines *sub-* (under) and *specere* (to look). So, the original idea was 'to look under' or 'to look secretly/covertly,' which evolved into the modern sense of 'to suspect' or 'to look at with distrust.'
First recorded: 13th century (in its root forms)
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use the feminine plural form?
If you are referring only to a group of females (e.g., 'las mujeres'), or if you are describing feminine nouns (e.g., 'las cajas'), you must use 'sospechosas' (with an 'a'). If the group includes even one male, you use the masculine plural form, 'sospechosos'.