How to Say "to report" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to report” is “reportar” — use 'reportar' when you need to officially inform about an incident, a problem, or to share news, often in a formal or semi-formal context.
reportar
rreh-por-TARrepoɾˈtaɾ
Examples
Tienes que reportar el robo a la policía.
You have to report the theft to the police.
Los usuarios reportaron un error en la aplicación.
Users reported a bug in the application.
El periodista reportó los hechos desde el lugar de la noticia.
The journalist reported the facts from the scene of the news.
Direct Action
When you report something (like a crime or a bug), that 'thing' goes directly after the verb without needing extra words.
Reporting to Someone
If you are telling a person or authority about something, use 'a' before the person: 'Reportar el problema A la policía'.
Using it for general chatting
Mistake: “Reporté a mi mamá que llegué bien.”
Correction: Le dije a mi mamá que llegué bien.
informar
in-for-MARin.forˈmaɾ
Examples
Le informamos que su vuelo ha sido cancelado.
We inform you that your flight has been canceled.
El periodista informó sobre el accidente en vivo.
The journalist reported on the accident live.
Por favor, infórmale a tu jefe de los cambios.
Please, inform your boss of the changes.
Reporting the Topic
When you report what the information is about, you usually use the preposition 'de' or 'sobre': 'Informé al jefe de la situación' (I informed the boss of the situation).
Who Receives the Information
The person receiving the information is the direct object (or sometimes an indirect object pronoun 'le/les' in Spanish), which means they receive the action: 'Informaron a los clientes' (They informed the clients).
Missing Preposition
Mistake: “La noticia informó la crisis.”
Correction: La noticia informó *sobre* la crisis. (The news reported *on* the crisis.) The preposition is necessary before the thing being reported.
denunciar
deh-noon-syahrdenunˈsjaɾ
Examples
Tienes que denunciar el robo de tu pasaporte inmediatamente.
You have to report the theft of your passport immediately.
Ella denunció al vecino por ruidos molestos.
She filed a complaint against the neighbor for annoying noises.
Si ves un crimen, es tu deber denunciarlo.
If you see a crime, it is your duty to report it.
Using 'a' with People
When you report a specific person, you must use 'a' before their name or description, like: 'Denuncié a mi jefe' (I reported my boss).
Reporting Actions
If you are reporting an action, you usually follow the verb with a noun: 'Denunciar el fraude' (To report the fraud).
Reporting vs. Denunciar
Mistake: “Using 'reportar' for crimes in Spain.”
Correction: In Spain, 'reportar' often means 'to bring' or 'to result in'. Use 'denunciar' when talking to the police.
notificar
no-tee-fee-karnoti.fiˈkaɾ
Examples
La aplicación te notificará cuando recibas un mensaje.
The app will notify you when you receive a message.
Debemos notificar el accidente a la policía de inmediato.
We must report the accident to the police immediately.
El abogado notificó a sus clientes sobre el cambio en el contrato.
The lawyer notified his clients about the change in the contract.
The Spelling 'Shift'
To keep the 'k' sound in the word, the 'c' changes to 'qu' when followed by an 'e'. This happens in the 'yo' form of the past and all 'wishes/commands' forms.
Who are you notifying?
When notifying a person, always use the word 'a' before them. For example: 'Notificar a los padres' (Notify the parents).
Wrong Spelling in Past Tense
Mistake: “Yo notificé el error.”
Correction: Yo notifiqué el error. (Because 'c' before 'e' sounds like an 's' in Spanish, we need 'qu' to keep the hard 'k' sound).
delatar
deh-lah-tahrdelaˈtaɾ
Examples
El testigo delató al ladrón ante la policía.
The witness reported the thief to the police.
No me delates con mis padres por llegar tarde.
Don't tell on me to my parents for arriving late.
Al final, uno de los cómplices los delató a todos.
In the end, one of the accomplices betrayed them all.
The Personal 'a'
When you are reporting a specific person, you must use the word 'a' before their name. For example: 'Delataron a Juan'.
Reporting versus Informing
Unlike the general word 'decir' (to say), 'delatar' implies you are revealing something that was meant to be hidden or something negative.
Confusing with 'reportar'
Mistake: “Reporté a mi amigo por el robo.”
Correction: Delaté a mi amigo por el robo. 'Reportar' is often for news or work status, 'delatar' is for betrayal or snitching.
Confusing 'Reportar' with 'Denunciar'
Related Translations
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