How to Say "to blame" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to blame” is “culpar” — use this general term when assigning fault or responsibility for something negative, like an error or a bad outcome.
culpar
kool-pahrkulˈpaɾ
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-leheˈtʃaɾle
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).
acusar
ah-koo-SAHRakuˈsaɾ
Examples
Ella me acusó de haber roto su vaso favorito.
She accused me of having broken her favorite glass.
El hombre fue acusado de robo ante el juez.
The man was accused of theft before the judge.
No puedes acusar a alguien sin tener pruebas.
You cannot accuse someone without having proof.
Using the word 'de'
In Spanish, we always use the word 'de' after 'acusar' to connect the action to the reason for the accusation. For example: 'Acusar de robo' (Accuse of theft).
Pointing at someone
When you mention the person being accused, remember to use 'a' before their name or the person word: 'Acusar a Juan'.
Wrong connector
Mistake: “Me acusó por mentir.”
Correction: Me acusó DE mentir.
reprochar
reh-pro-CHARreproˈt͡ʃar
Examples
Ella me reprocha que nunca lavo los platos.
She blames me for never washing the dishes.
No le reproches sus errores del pasado; todos nos equivocamos.
Don't hold his past mistakes against him; we all make mistakes.
Si pierdes esta oportunidad, te lo reprocharás toda la vida.
If you lose this opportunity, you will regret it (blame yourself) for the rest of your life.
Using the 'Who'
In Spanish, you almost always need to use a little word like 'me', 'te', or 'le' to show who you are reproaching. For example: 'Él ME reprocha' (He reproaches ME).
Connecting the 'What'
To explain what you are complaining about, use the word 'que' (that) followed by the action. Example: 'Me reprocha QUE siempre llego tarde' (He blames me for always arriving late).
Forgetting the Indirect Object
Mistake: “Reproché Juan por el error.”
Correction: LE reproché el error A Juan. In Spanish, you must use the pronoun 'le' when naming the person you are blaming.
responsabilizar
rre-spon-sa-bee-lee-THARrresponsabiliˈθaɾ
Examples
No podemos responsabilizar al clima por la mala planificación.
We cannot hold the weather responsible for the poor planning.
La prensa responsabiliza al gobierno de la crisis económica.
The press blames the government for the economic crisis.
¿A quién vas a responsabilizar de este error?
Who are you going to hold responsible for this mistake?
The Spelling Swap
When the verb ends in '-izar', the 'z' changes to a 'c' whenever it's followed by an 'e'. This is why the 'yo' form in the past is 'responsabilicé' and not 'responsabilizé'.
Connecting with 'De'
To link the person to the action, use 'de' (of/for). Example: 'Lo responsabilizaron de (for) el accidente'.
Using 'por' instead of 'de'
Mistake: “Lo responsabilizo por el error.”
Correction: Lo responsabilizo del error. In Spanish, we usually use 'de' to describe what someone is being held responsible for.
atribuir
ah-tree-bwee-ratɾiˈβwiɾ
Examples
Muchos expertos atribuyen el éxito a la constancia.
Many experts attribute the success to consistency.
No puedes atribuirle a ella toda la culpa del error.
You can't blame her for the whole mistake.
Esta obra se atribuye a un pintor anónimo del siglo XVII.
This work is attributed to an anonymous 17th-century painter.
The 'Y' Rule
For verbs ending in '-uir', the 'i' changes to a 'y' when it sounds like it's stuck between two other vowels (e.g., 'atribuyo' instead of 'atribuio').
Connecting with 'a'
Always use the word 'a' to connect what you are attributing to the person or thing receiving the credit/blame.
Spelling it with 'i'
Mistake: “Yo atribuio.”
Correction: Yo atribuyo. Remember that between two vowels, the 'i' becomes a 'y'.
Missing the recipient link
Mistake: “Atribuyo el problema el clima.”
Correction: Atribuyo el problema AL clima. You need the 'a' to show where the attribution is going.
censurar
sen-soo-RARθen.suˈɾaɾ
Examples
La comunidad internacional censuró el comportamiento del embajador.
The international community condemned the ambassador's behavior.
Direct Object
When you condemn someone's behavior, that behavior is the thing you 'censurar' directly.
Culpar vs. Acusar
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.