How to Say "faithful" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “faithful” is “fiel” — use 'fiel' when describing someone or something that is loyal and unwavering in their commitment to a person, cause, or principle.
fiel
fyélfjel
Examples
Ella siempre ha sido una amiga fiel.
She has always been a faithful friend.
Mi perro es el animal más fiel que conozco.
My dog is the most faithful animal I know.
Hicieron una traducción fiel del documento original.
They made an accurate translation of the original document.
Ella fue una socia fiel de la empresa durante veinte años.
She was a loyal partner of the company for twenty years.
Gender Invariability
Unlike many Spanish adjectives, 'fiel' has the same form whether describing a masculine thing ('el amigo fiel') or a feminine thing ('la amiga fiel').
Plural Form
To make 'fiel' plural, simply add '-es': 'fieles'. This applies to both masculine and feminine nouns (e.g., 'amigos fieles', 'copias fieles').
Confusing Fiel and Leal
Mistake: “Using 'leal' when referring to accuracy (e.g., 'una copia leal').”
Correction: Use 'fiel' when talking about accuracy or truthfulness (e.g., 'una copia fiel'). 'Leal' is reserved almost exclusively for loyalty to a person or group.
leal
leh-AHLleˈal
Examples
El soldado demostró ser leal hasta el final.
The soldier proved to be faithful/loyal until the end.
Mi perro es muy leal y nunca se separa de mí.
My dog is very loyal and never leaves my side.
Necesitamos un equipo de trabajo leal para completar este proyecto difícil.
We need a loyal work team to complete this difficult project.
A pesar de las dificultades, siempre se mantuvo leal a sus principios.
Despite the difficulties, he always remained true to his principles.
Adjective Agreement (Gender)
Since 'leal' ends in a consonant ('l'), it uses the exact same form whether you are describing a masculine person/thing (un amigo leal) or a feminine person/thing (una amiga leal). It doesn't change from 'leal' to 'leala'.
Adjective Agreement (Number)
To make 'leal' plural (meaning more than one), you must add '-es': 'los amigos leales' (the loyal friends) and 'las amigas leales'.
Forgetting the Plural Ending
Mistake: “Mis padres son muy leal.”
Correction: Mis padres son muy leales. (Always remember to add '-es' when describing plural nouns, even if the singular form doesn't change for gender.)
creyente
kreh-YEHN-tehkɾeˈjente
Examples
Es un devoto creyente de las enseñanzas budistas.
He is a devout believer in Buddhist teachings.
Ella es una creyente muy activa en su comunidad.
She is a very active believer in her community.
Muchos creyentes visitan la catedral cada domingo.
Many believers visit the cathedral every Sunday.
No soy creyente, pero respeto todas las religiones.
I am not a believer, but I respect all religions.
One word, two genders
The word doesn't change its ending for men or women. Use 'el creyente' for a man and 'la creyente' for a woman.
The '-ente' ending
The ending '-ente' is like the English '-er' in 'believer.' It describes the person performing the action of 'creer' (to believe).
Confusing with the action
Mistake: “Él es un creyendo.”
Correction: Él es un creyente.
Confusing loyalty with religious belief
Related Translations
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