Inklingo

How to Say "illegal act" in Spanish

The Spanish word forillegal actis ilícitoC1 level.

English → SpanishC1
nounC1formal
a specific crime or offense
A person wearing a dark mask and striped shirt carrying a heavy sack away.

Examples

La policía investiga el ilícito ocurrido anoche.

The police are investigating the illegal act that occurred last night.

Fue arrestado en el momento de cometer el ilícito.

He was arrested at the moment of committing the offense.

No hay pruebas que vinculen al sospechoso con el ilícito.

There is no evidence linking the suspect to the crime.

Always Masculine

When used as a noun meaning 'a crime,' it is always masculine: 'el ilícito,' even if the crime itself has a feminine name.

Ilícito vs. Delito

Mistake:Using 'ilícito' for a small mistake.

Correction: An 'ilícito' is specifically something that breaks a law or a serious regulation. Use 'error' or 'falta' for minor mistakes.

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