Inklingo

How to Say "laws" in Spanish

English → Spanish

leyes

LEY-yesˈle.ʝes

NounA1General
Use 'leyes' for the general concept of laws that must be obeyed, like traffic laws or the laws of a country.
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.

legislación

NounB1Formal
Use 'legislación' when referring to the body of laws created by a government for a particular area or topic, like environmental laws.

Examples

La legislación actual protege los derechos de los trabajadores.

Current legislation protects workers' rights.

códigos

NounB1Formal
Use 'códigos' specifically for a systematic collection of laws, such as a civil code or penal code.

Examples

Todos los países tienen códigos civiles diferentes.

All countries have different civil codes (laws).

General Laws vs. Specific Codes

Learners often confuse 'leyes' and 'códigos'. Remember that 'leyes' is the most general term for laws, while 'códigos' refers to a specific, organized collection of statutes (like a civil code).

Related Translations

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