Inklingo

How to Say "legitimate" in Spanish

English → Spanish

legales

leh-GAH-lehs/leˈɣales/

adjectiveA2formal
Use 'legales' when referring to something that is lawful, permitted by law, or related to the legal system.
A simple wooden judge's gavel resting horizontally on a round wooden striking block, symbolizing law and rules.

Examples

Necesitamos revisar todos los documentos legales antes de firmar.

We need to review all the legal documents before signing.

Las acciones tomadas por la empresa fueron completamente legales.

The actions taken by the company were completely legal.

El abogado sugirió buscar soluciones legales al problema.

The lawyer suggested looking for lawful solutions to the problem.

Adjective Agreement (Plural)

Since 'legales' is an adjective, its ending must match the noun it describes. If you are talking about more than one thing, you must use the plural form 'legales' (e.g., 'leyes legales').

The -es Plural Rule

The singular form is 'legal.' Because 'legal' ends in a consonant ('l'), you add '-es' to make it plural, resulting in 'legales'.

Forgetting the Plural Ending

Mistake: “Los documentos legal.”

Correction: The correct phrase is 'Los documentos legales.' Always make sure the adjective agrees with the plural noun.

legítimo

adjectiveB1
Use 'legítimo' when referring to something that is authentic, genuine, real, or logically sound and justifiable.

Examples

Esta es una pintura legítima de Dalí.

This is a genuine painting by Dalí.

Legales vs. Legítimo

Learners often confuse 'legales' and 'legítimo'. Remember that 'legales' specifically refers to legality and law, while 'legítimo' covers authenticity, genuineness, and logical validity. Don't use 'legales' for 'genuine' or 'authentic'.

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