Inklingo

How to Say "policy" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word forpolicyis políticause 'política' when referring to a specific rule, course of action, or set of principles adopted by an organization, government, or individual.

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política

nounB1general
Use 'política' when referring to a specific rule, course of action, or set of principles adopted by an organization, government, or individual.

Examples

La política de la empresa es dar vacaciones pagadas a todos los empleados.

The company's policy is to give paid vacation to all employees.

medida

meh-DEE-dahmeˈðiða

nounB1general
Choose 'medida' for a specific action or step taken by a government or organization to achieve a particular goal, often implying a reaction or solution.
A stylized figure wearing a blue uniform is seen placing a small red barrier post firmly onto a grassy patch, symbolizing official action.

Examples

El gobierno anunció nuevas medidas económicas para combatir la inflación.

The government announced new economic measures to combat inflation.

El gobierno implementó nuevas medidas para reducir la contaminación.

The government implemented new measures to reduce pollution.

Debemos tomar medidas drásticas si queremos mejorar los resultados.

We must take drastic steps if we want to improve the results.

La medida de prohibir el tráfico fue impopular.

The measure to prohibit traffic was unpopular.

Plural Use

This meaning is very often used in the plural form ('medidas') when discussing policies or steps taken.

póliza

nounB1financial, legal
Use 'póliza' exclusively for the written contract, most commonly an insurance policy.

Examples

Necesito renovar la póliza de seguro de mi hogar antes de fin de mes.

I need to renew my home insurance policy before the end of the month.

línea

nounB2general, business
Opt for 'línea' when referring to a general stance, approach, or a specific product range or category, often used metaphorically.

Examples

La marca sigue una línea de diseño minimalista en todas sus colecciones.

The brand follows a minimalist design policy in all its collections.

Política vs. Medida

Learners often confuse 'política' and 'medida'. Remember that 'política' refers to a broader set of rules or principles, while 'medida' is a concrete action or step taken to implement a policy or solve a problem.

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