How to Say "felonies" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “felonies” is “crímenes” — use 'crímenes' when referring to criminal acts in a general sense, encompassing a wide range of illegal activities, including felonies..
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 graves en el vecindario.
The police are investigating a series of serious crimes in the neighborhood.
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.
General Crime vs. Serious Offense
Related Translations
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