How to Say "the police" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “the police” is “policía” — use 'la policía' when referring to the police as an organization, institution, or the general concept of law enforcement..
English → Spanish
policía
nounA1
Use 'la policía' when referring to the police as an organization, institution, or the general concept of law enforcement.
Examples
Si tienes una emergencia, llama a la policía.
If you have an emergency, call the police.
jura
/HOO-rah//ˈxu.ɾa/
nounC1informal
Use 'la jura' as informal street slang to refer to police officers, especially when they are present or approaching.
Examples
¡Vámonos de aquí, que viene la jura!
Let's get out of here, the cops are coming!
Collective Noun
When used as slang for the police, it is always feminine ('la jura') and acts as a single group.
Institution vs. Officers
The most common mistake is using the informal slang 'jura' when you mean the police institution. Reserve 'jura' for casual conversations when referring to officers on the street, and use 'policía' for the organization or in more formal contexts.
Related Translations
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