Inklingo

How to Say "oversight" in Spanish

English → Spanish

descuido

/des-KWEE-doh//desˈkwiðo/

nounB1general
Use 'descuido' when 'oversight' refers to an unintentional mistake or a failure to pay attention that results in an error or forgetting something important.
A glass of water tipping over on a table because it was placed too close to the edge.

Examples

El olvido de cerrar la puerta fue un descuido grave.

Forgetting to close the door was a serious oversight.

Perdí mi cartera por un descuido.

I lost my wallet because of a slip-up.

Un pequeño descuido puede causar un gran problema.

A small oversight can cause a big problem.

No fue a propósito, fue solo un descuido.

It wasn't on purpose; it was just a moment of carelessness.

Using 'Por' for Reasons

We use the word 'por' before 'descuido' to explain the reason why something went wrong, like saying 'because of' in English.

Masculine Word Patterns

This word ends in -o and is masculine. You should always use 'el' or 'un' with it, even if you are a woman describing your own mistake.

Descuido vs. Culpa

Mistake: “Es mi descuido que llegamos tarde.”

Correction: Es mi culpa que llegamos tarde.

supervisión

nounB1general
Use 'supervisión' when 'oversight' means the act of carefully managing, monitoring, or directing a project, task, or people.

Examples

La obra se completó con éxito gracias a una buena supervisión.

The construction was completed successfully thanks to good oversight.

lapso

/LAHP-soh//ˈlap.so/

nounB2general
Use 'lapso' for a brief, accidental mental lapse or a momentary forgetting, often implying a temporary failure of memory.
A person accidentally dropping an ice cream cone on the sidewalk.

Examples

Tuve un lapso y olvidé por completo la reunión.

I had an oversight and completely forgot about the meeting.

Fue un pequeño lapso mental.

It was a small mental slip.

Tuvo un lapso de memoria durante el examen.

He had a memory lapse during the exam.

Perdona mi lapso, olvidé mencionarlo.

Forgive my oversight, I forgot to mention it.

Specific Errors

Use 'lapso' when the mistake is accidental and temporary, rather than a lack of knowledge.

Lapso vs. Lapsus

Mistake: “Confusing 'lapso' with the Latin phrase 'lapsus linguae'.”

Correction: While related, use 'lapso' for the general mistake and 'lapsus' for a specific slip of the tongue.

Mistaking a lapse for a mistake

Learners often confuse 'descuido' (a mistake due to carelessness) with 'lapso' (a brief mental lapse). If the oversight involves a significant error or consequence, 'descuido' is usually more appropriate. 'Lapso' implies a short, temporary mental blank.

Related Translations

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