Inklingo

How to Say "legality" in Spanish

English → Spanish

legalidad

/leh-gah-lee-DAHD//le.ɣa.liˈðað/

nounB1general
Use 'legalidad' when you are referring to the general quality or state of being in accordance with the law, often in a more abstract or formal sense.
A wooden judge's gavel resting on a solid block against a clean background.

Examples

La policía investiga la legalidad de las transacciones.

The police are investigating the legality of the transactions.

Dudamos de la legalidad de ese contrato.

We doubt the legality of that contract.

Todo se hizo dentro de la legalidad vigente.

Everything was done within the current legal framework.

El abogado cuestionó la legalidad de las pruebas presentadas.

The lawyer questioned the lawfulness of the evidence presented.

The '-dad' Rule

Words ending in '-dad' (like legalidad, ciudad, or realidad) are almost always feminine. This means you should always use 'la' or 'una' with them.

Abstract Nouns and Articles

In Spanish, we use the article 'la' when talking about abstract concepts like 'legality' in general, even when English skips it. Example: 'La legalidad es importante' (Legality is important).

Gender confusion

Mistake: “El legalidad es importante.”

Correction: La legalidad es importante. Because the word ends in -dad, it is feminine.

validez

/bah-lee-DEHS//baliˈdes/

nounB1general
Use 'validez' when referring to the official status, force, or effectiveness of something, such as a document, a treaty, or a statement, implying it is currently accepted or recognized.
A shiny gold seal with a red ribbon placed on a clean document.

Examples

Necesitas verificar la validez de tu licencia de conducir.

You need to check the validity of your driver's license.

Tu pasaporte tiene una validez de diez años.

Your passport is valid for ten years.

El billete de tren pierde su validez si no se usa hoy.

The train ticket loses its validity if it's not used today.

Necesitamos confirmar la validez legal del contrato antes de firmar.

We need to confirm the legal validity of the contract before signing.

Using 'Tener' with Validez

In Spanish, we usually say something 'has validity' (tiene validez) rather than just saying it 'is valid.' It focuses on the quality the object possesses.

Gender and Endings

Words ending in '-ez' that name qualities are almost always feminine (la validez). When you describe it, use feminine adjectives like 'la validez técnica'.

Validez vs. Validación

Mistake: “El contrato necesita validez.”

Correction: Depending on what you mean, use 'validación' for the *act* of making it valid, and 'validez' for the *state* of being valid.

Legalidad vs. Validez

Learners often confuse 'legalidad' and 'validez' by using 'legalidad' when they mean the official effectiveness or current status of something. Remember that 'validez' is about whether something is currently in force or officially accepted, while 'legalidad' is more about the abstract quality of being lawful.

Related Translations

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