How to Say "crimes" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “crimes” is “crímenes” — use 'crímenes' for serious illegal acts, such as murder, robbery, or treason, which are typically investigated by police and prosecuted in courts..
crímenes
Examples
La policía está investigando una serie de crímenes en el barrio.
The police are investigating a series of crimes in the neighborhood.
delitos
/deh-LEE-tohs//deˈlitos/
Examples
La policía está investigando una serie de delitos menores en el vecindario.
The police are investigating a series of minor offenses in the neighborhood.
Los delitos financieros son a menudo difíciles de probar en la corte.
Financial crimes are often difficult to prove in court.
La lista de delitos graves incluye el robo y el fraude.
The list of serious crimes includes theft and fraud.
Gender Reminder
Remember that 'delito' is a masculine noun, so when you use it with describing words (adjectives), those words must also be masculine: 'delitos graves' (serious crimes), not 'delitos graves'.
Delitos vs. Crímenes
Mistake: “Using 'crímenes' when the context is general legal violation.”
Correction: While often interchangeable, 'delitos' is the standard, neutral legal term for 'offenses' or 'crimes' in most Spanish-speaking countries. 'Crímenes' often implies a more violent or severe act, like a murder.
Crímenes vs. Delitos
Related Translations
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