How to Say "offenses" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “offenses” is “delitos” — use 'delitos' when referring to legal violations that are not necessarily severe, such as misdemeanors or minor infractions, or when speaking generally about illegal acts..
delitos
/deh-LEE-tohs//deˈlitos/
Examples
La policía está investigando una serie de delitos menores en el vecindario.
The police are investigating a series of minor offenses in the neighborhood.
Los delitos financieros son a menudo difíciles de probar en la corte.
Financial crimes are often difficult to prove in court.
La lista de delitos graves incluye el robo y el fraude.
The list of serious crimes includes theft and fraud.
Gender Reminder
Remember that 'delito' is a masculine noun, so when you use it with describing words (adjectives), those words must also be masculine: 'delitos graves' (serious crimes), not 'delitos graves'.
Delitos vs. Crímenes
Mistake: “Using 'crímenes' when the context is general legal violation.”
Correction: While often interchangeable, 'delitos' is the standard, neutral legal term for 'offenses' or 'crimes' in most Spanish-speaking countries. 'Crímenes' often implies a more violent or severe act, like a murder.
crímenes
Examples
La policía está investigando una serie de crímenes en el barrio.
The police are investigating a series of crimes in the neighborhood.
Severity is Key
Related Translations
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