Inklingo

How to Say "laws" in Spanish

English → Spanish

leyes

LEY-yes/ˈle.ʝes/

NounA1official
Use 'leyes' when referring to the general concept of official statutes or rules that must be obeyed, such as traffic laws or constitutional laws.
A simple illustration of an official parchment scroll, tightly rolled and tied with a red ribbon and gold seal, symbolizing codified laws and statutes.

Examples

Debemos obedecer las leyes de tráfico.

We must obey the traffic laws.

El presidente firmó las nuevas leyes ambientales.

The president signed the new environmental legislation.

Las leyes de la física son universales.

The laws of physics are universal.

Feminine Plural

Remember that 'leyes' (laws) is always used with feminine plural words that describe it, like 'las leyes' (the laws) or 'leyes estrictas' (strict laws).

Gender Confusion

Mistake: “Los leyes”

Correction: Las leyes. Even though many words ending in '-es' are masculine, 'ley' (law) is feminine, so its plural form must also be feminine.

códigos

NounB1official
Use 'códigos' when referring to a specific, organized collection of laws, such as a civil code, penal code, or commercial code.

Examples

Todos los países tienen códigos civiles diferentes.

All countries have different civil codes (laws).

General vs. Specific Collections of Laws

The most common mistake is using 'códigos' when you simply mean 'laws' in a general sense. Remember, 'leyes' is the broad term for statutes, while 'códigos' refers to a specific systematic compilation of them.

Related Translations

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