Inklingo

How to Say "citizens" in Spanish

English → Spanish

ciudadanos

see-oo-dah-NAH-nohs/sjuðaˈðanos/

nounA2legal, political
Use 'ciudadanos' when referring to people in a legal or political context, emphasizing their rights and responsibilities within a state.
Three diverse adult figures, including a man and two women, standing shoulder-to-shoulder and smiling warmly, symbolizing a cohesive group of citizens.

Examples

Los ciudadanos tienen derecho a votar.

The citizens have the right to vote.

La junta informó a todos los ciudadanos sobre el nuevo proyecto.

The board informed all residents about the new project.

Necesitamos la participación de los ciudadanos para mejorar la ciudad.

We need the participation of the inhabitants to improve the city.

Gender Rule (Mixed Groups)

Even if a group of citizens includes women, the masculine plural form 'ciudadanos' is used to refer to the entire group generally.

Confusing Citizenship vs. City

Mistake: “Thinking 'ciudadanos' just means 'people of the city.'”

Correction: While related to 'city' (ciudad), 'ciudadanos' usually refers to legal citizens of a country, state, or municipality, often implying rights and duties.

civiles

see-VEE-lays/siˈβiles/

nounB1general, military context
Use 'civiles' as a general term for people residing in a place, especially when distinguishing them from military personnel or in situations where their civilian status is relevant.
A colorful illustration showing three people—a man, a woman, and a child—dressed in casual, ordinary clothes, representing non-military civilians.

Examples

La misión era proteger a los civiles en la ciudad.

The mission was to protect the civilians in the city.

Hubo pocos civiles heridos durante el incidente.

There were few civilians injured during the incident.

Referring to People

When 'civiles' is used as a noun meaning 'civilians,' it almost always takes the masculine plural form, even if the group includes women.

nacionales

/nah-syo-NAH-lehs//naθjoˈnales/

nounB2national, diplomatic
Use 'nacionales' to refer to people who are citizens of a particular nation, often in contexts concerning nationality, passports, or diplomatic protection abroad.
A group of diverse people standing together smiling, representing citizens of a nation.

Examples

La embajada protege a sus nacionales en el extranjero.

The embassy protects its nationals abroad.

Using Adjectives as Nouns

In Spanish, you can turn an adjective like 'national' into a noun just by putting 'los' in front of it to mean 'the people of that nation.'

Ciudadanos vs. Civiles

The most common mistake is using 'civiles' when the context is strictly about legal or political rights, where 'ciudadanos' is the correct term. Remember, 'civiles' often implies a contrast with military or focuses on the general population's safety, not their political standing.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.