How to Say "human trafficker" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “human trafficker” is “coyote” — B2 level.
Examples
El coyote les cobró mucho dinero por cruzar la frontera.
The smuggler charged them a lot of money to cross the border.
Muchos migrantes dependen de un coyote para llegar al norte.
Many migrants depend on a guide to reach the north.
Las autoridades están buscando al coyote que abandonó al grupo.
The authorities are looking for the smuggler who abandoned the group.
Using 'el' for people
When using 'coyote' for a person, it follows the same pattern as the animal. It is almost always used with the masculine 'el' because the profession is historically associated with men in slang.
Not for 'tour guides'
Mistake: “Calling a regular tourist guide a 'coyote'.”
Correction: Use 'guía' for tourists. 'Coyote' implies illegal or dangerous activity.
Related Translations
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