How to Say "missing persons" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “missing persons” is “desaparecidos” — B2 level.
English → SpanishB2
nounB2
general context of people who cannot be found
Examples
Las familias de los desaparecidos todavía buscan la verdad.
The families of the disappeared are still searching for the truth.
El monumento recuerda a los desaparecidos de la dictadura.
The monument remembers those who disappeared during the dictatorship.
Using a descriptive word as a name
In Spanish, you can put 'los' (the) in front of a descriptive word to turn it into a name for a group of people. Here, it means 'the people who have disappeared.'
Confusing with 'lost'
Mistake: “Using 'desaparecidos' to mean you can't find your keys.”
Correction: Use 'perdidos' for lost items. 'Desaparecidos' is much heavier and usually refers to people who have vanished without a trace.
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