Inklingo

How to Say "to blame" in Spanish

English → Spanish

culpar

/kool-pahr//kulˈpaɾ/

verbA2general
Use 'culpar' when you want to directly assign fault or responsibility to someone or something for a specific action or situation.
A simple storybook illustration showing one colorful cartoon character pointing an accusatory finger directly at another character, symbolizing the act of blaming.

Examples

No puedes culpar al clima por tu mala actitud.

You can't blame the weather for your bad attitude.

Todos culparon al conductor del accidente.

Everyone blamed the driver for the accident.

La policía no pudo culpar a nadie con las pruebas que tenía.

The police couldn't accuse anyone with the evidence they had.

Using the Personal 'a'

When you blame a person (the direct object), you must use the little word 'a' right before their name or description: 'Culpé a mi hermano' (I blamed my brother).

Structure: Blame for WHAT?

To specify the reason for the blame, use the preposition 'por': 'Me culparon por el error' (They blamed me for the mistake).

Confusing 'Culpar' and 'Echar la culpa'

Mistake: “Using 'culpar' as a noun phrase, like 'Él me echó la culpar.'”

Correction: The common way to assign blame is 'echar la culpa': 'Él me echó la culpa' (He put the blame on me). 'Culpar' is just the verb: 'Él me culpó'.

echarle la culpa

eh-CHAR-leh/eˈtʃaɾle/

verbB1general
Use 'echarle la culpa' when talking about the act of assigning blame, often implying a more direct accusation or a pattern of blaming someone else.
A simple illustration showing a tall, stern character pointing a large, exaggerated finger directly at a smaller, sad-looking character who is holding a broken toy.

Examples

Siempre le echa la culpa a su hermano cuando algo sale mal.

He always blames his brother when something goes wrong.

No puedes echarle toda la responsabilidad a una sola persona.

You can't pin all the responsibility on one person.

The 'le' is the Blamed Party

In this meaning, the 'le' stands for the person who is receiving the blame or the scolding (the indirect object).

Culpar vs. Echar la Culpa

Learners often confuse 'culpar' and 'echar la culpa'. While both mean 'to blame', 'culpar' is the direct verb, whereas 'echar la culpa' is a common idiomatic phrase that emphasizes the act of assigning blame, often to another person.

Related Translations

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