How to Say "thief" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “thief” is “ladrón” — use 'ladrón' for the general, standard term for a person who steals, suitable for most contexts and widely understood across the Spanish-speaking world..
English → Spanish
ladrón
nounB1
Use 'ladrón' for the general, standard term for a person who steals, suitable for most contexts and widely understood across the Spanish-speaking world.
Examples
El ladrón entró por la ventana de la cocina.
The thief entered through the kitchen window.
chorro
/CHOH-rroh//ˈtʃoro/
nounC1informal
Use 'chorro' informally, often in certain regions, to refer to a thief or a petty criminal, carrying a more colloquial and sometimes slightly stronger connotation.
Examples
¡Cuidado! Ese tipo es un chorro.
Watch out! That guy is a thief.
La policía atrapó al chorro a la vuelta.
The police caught the thief around the corner.
Informal vs. Standard Term
The main confusion arises between the standard term 'ladrón' and the more informal, regional 'chorro'. Learners might overuse 'chorro' in formal settings or when a neutral term is expected, potentially sounding out of place.
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