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How to Say "police" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “police” is “poli” — use 'poli' as a casual, colloquial term for a police officer or the police force in general, similar to 'cop' in English.

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poli

POH-leeˈpoli

nounA2colloquial
Use 'poli' as a casual, colloquial term for a police officer or the police force in general, similar to 'cop' in English.
A friendly cartoon police officer wearing a blue uniform and hat, standing and smiling.

Examples

¡Cuidado! Hay un poli en la esquina vigilando la velocidad.

Careful! There's a cop on the corner watching the speed.

Llamamos al poli después del accidente, pero tardaron en llegar.

We called the police after the accident, but they were late arriving.

Mi primo quiere ser poli cuando termine sus estudios.

My cousin wants to be a police officer when he finishes his studies.

Shortened Noun

This word is a 'clipping' of policía. It functions just like the full word but is used only in casual settings.

Formality Mismatch

Mistake: “Usando 'poli' en un informe oficial.”

Correction: Use *policía* or *agente* in formal writing or professional contexts, as *poli* is too casual.

policial

po-li-siálpoliˈsjal

adjectiveA2
Use 'policial' when you need an adjective to describe something related to the police, like an investigation or a department.
A friendly illustration of a police officer wearing a blue uniform and hat, smiling brightly.

Examples

La investigación policial duró seis meses.

The police investigation lasted six months.

Necesitan una orden policial para entrar a la casa.

They need a police warrant to enter the house.

Ella trabaja en la Academia Policial de la ciudad.

She works at the city's Police Academy.

Adjective Agreement

As an adjective, 'policial' always stays the same regardless of whether the noun is masculine or feminine (e.g., 'el informe policial,' 'la unidad policial'). However, it must agree in number: 'informes policiales' (plural).

Using 'policía' instead of 'policial'

Mistake: “La policía investigación fue difícil.”

Correction: La investigación policial fue difícil. ('Policía' is the person or institution; 'policial' describes the investigation.)

policíaco

adjectiveB1
Use 'policíaco' specifically when referring to genres or things related to police work, such as detective stories or police procedurals.

Examples

Me encanta leer novelas policíacas antes de dormir.

I love reading detective novels before going to sleep.

tiras

TEE-rahsˈtiɾas

nounA2slang/informal
While 'tiras' can mean 'strips', it is sometimes used informally or as slang, often capitalized as 'las Tiras', to refer to the police.
A simple illustration of four distinct, long, narrow strips of colored fabric, such as blue, yellow, green, and red, lying side by side on a neutral surface.

Examples

Las tiras llegaron rápido a la escena del crimen.

The cops arrived quickly at the crime scene.

Necesito dos tiras de tela roja para el proyecto.

I need two strips of red fabric for the project.

Siempre leo las tiras de Mafalda en internet.

I always read the Mafalda comic strips online.

Las tiras adhesivas no pegan bien en esta superficie.

The adhesive strips don't stick well to this surface.

Plural Noun

Since 'tiras' ends in -s, it is a plural word. It requires plural articles and adjectives (e.g., 'las tiras rojas').

Adjective vs. Noun Confusion

Learners often confuse 'policial' and 'policíaco' with nouns like 'poli'. Remember that 'policial' and 'policíaco' are adjectives and must describe a noun, while 'poli' is a noun referring to the officer or force itself. 'Policíaco' is more specific, usually for genres like detective stories.

Related Translations

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