How to Say "delinquent" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “delinquent” is “delincuente” — use 'delincuente' when referring to the person who is committing a crime, especially a minor offense or when the focus is on the individual.
delincuente
deh-leen-KWEHN-tehde.linˈkwen.te
Examples
La policía capturó al delincuente después del robo.
The police captured the criminal after the robbery.
La delincuente fue identificada por las cámaras de seguridad.
The female offender was identified by the security cameras.
Necesitamos reducir el número de jóvenes delincuentes en la ciudad.
We need to reduce the number of young offenders in the city.
One Form, Two Genders
This word is special because it looks the same whether you are talking about a man or a woman. The only thing that changes is the article (el or la): 'el delincuente' (male) and 'la delincuente' (female).
Don't Change the Ending
Mistake: “Using *delincuento* for a man or *delincuenta* for a woman.”
Correction: The ending is always '-ente'. Only change 'el' to 'la' to show the person's gender.
delictivo
deh-leek-TEE-bohde.likˈti.βo
Examples
La policía está investigando una nueva banda delictiva.
The police are investigating a new criminal gang.
El acusado no tenía ningún antecedente delictivo.
The accused had no criminal record.
Es necesario prevenir el comportamiento delictivo en los jóvenes.
It is necessary to prevent criminal behavior in young people.
Matching Gender
This word must match the noun it describes. Use 'delictivo' for masculine words like 'acto' and 'delictiva' for feminine words like 'actividad'.
Placement after the Noun
In Spanish, describing words like 'delictivo' almost always come after the object they are describing (e.g., 'el grupo delictivo').
Using it for People
Mistake: “Ese hombre es delictivo.”
Correction: Ese hombre es un delincuente.
Person vs. Description
Related Translations
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