How to Say "crime" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “crime” is “crimen” — use 'crimen' when referring to a serious illegal act, often with a focus on the event or the investigation, like a murder or a robbery..
crimen
/KREE-men//ˈkɾimen/
Examples
La policía está investigando la escena del crimen.
The police are investigating the crime scene.
El robo a mano armada es un crimen muy grave.
Armed robbery is a very serious crime.
Fue condenado por un crimen que no cometió.
He was convicted of a crime he did not commit.
Always Masculine: 'el crimen'
Even though it doesn't end in -o, 'crimen' is a masculine word. Always say 'el crimen' or 'un crimen'. This is common for many words ending in -en or -men that come from older languages, like 'el examen' (the exam).
'Crimen' vs. 'Delito'
Mistake: “Usar 'crimen' para un robo de tienda. (Using 'crimen' for shoplifting.)”
Correction: En español, 'crimen' se usa para algo muy serio, como un asesinato. Para ofensas menores, como robar en una tienda, la palabra 'delito' es mucho más común. Piensa en 'crimen' como 'felony' y 'delito' como un término más general para cualquier 'offense'.
delito
deh-LEE-toh/deˈlito/
Examples
Cometer un delito grave puede resultar en prisión.
Committing a serious crime can result in prison.
El robo es un delito contra la propiedad privada.
Theft is an offense against private property.
La policía investiga si hubo un delito de fraude fiscal.
The police are investigating whether there was a crime of tax fraud.
Using 'Cometer'
To talk about performing a crime, you almost always use the verb 'cometer' (to commit): 'Cometió un delito' (He committed a crime).
Delito vs. Culpa
Mistake: “Using 'culpa' when you mean 'crime'.”
Correction: 'Delito' is the illegal act itself, while 'culpa' means 'fault' or 'guilt' (the feeling or attribution of responsibility). Say 'Fue un delito' (It was a crime), not 'Fue una culpa'.
Crimen vs. Delito
Related Translations
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