Inklingo

How to Say "victim" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “victim” is “víctima” — use 'víctima' for the general sense of someone harmed by a crime, accident, or misfortune..

English → Spanish

víctima

nounB1general
Use 'víctima' for the general sense of someone harmed by a crime, accident, or misfortune.

Examples

La víctima del robo describió al ladrón.

The victim of the robbery described the thief.

afectado

/ah-fek-TAH-doh//afekˈtaðo/

nounB2general
Use 'afectado' to describe someone who has been negatively impacted or harmed by a specific event, often a collective one.
A sad teddy bear sitting alone in a puddle after a rainstorm.

Examples

Los afectados por el cierre de la empresa protestaron hoy.

Those affected by the company's closure protested today.

El gobierno dará compensación a todos los afectados.

The government will give compensation to all the victims.

fallecido

/fa-yeh-SEE-tho//faʝeˈsiðo/

nounB1formal, news
Use 'fallecido' specifically when referring to a deceased person in the context of an accident or incident, especially in news reports.
A pair of empty, polished shoes sitting alone by a doorway.

Examples

El fallecido no llevaba identificación.

The deceased was not carrying identification.

Los familiares del fallecido llegaron al hospital.

The relatives of the deceased arrived at the hospital.

Turning a description into a person

In Spanish, you can put 'el' or 'la' in front of this word to turn it from 'deceased' into 'the deceased person.'

ofendido

oh-fehn-DEE-doh/ofenˈdido/

nounB2legal, formal
Use 'ofendido' for someone who has been personally wronged, insulted, or offended, emphasizing the injustice they suffered.
A sad cat with a bandaged tail sitting alone while others play.

Examples

El ofendido pidió una disculpa pública ante el juez.

The victim asked for a public apology before the judge.

La policía escuchó la versión de la ofendida.

The police listened to the victim's (female) version of events.

Nouns from Adjectives

In Spanish, you can turn many adjectives into nouns by putting 'el' or 'la' in front of them. Here, 'el ofendido' literally means 'the offended (one)'.

presa

PREH-sah/ˈpɾe.sa/

nounB1figurative, informal
Use 'presa' figuratively to mean 'prey' when someone or something is the target or object of an attack or pursuit.
A storybook illustration showing a large orange fox holding a small brown rabbit in its mouth, representing the concept of prey.

Examples

El águila localizó a su presa en el campo abierto.

The eagle located its prey in the open field.

El estafador siempre busca una presa fácil.

The con artist always looks for an easy victim (prey).

Gender Reminder

Even when referring to a male animal that is hunted, 'presa' remains feminine because the word itself is feminine.

Confusing 'Prey' and 'Predator'

Mistake: “Using 'presa' to mean the animal that hunts.”

Correction: Remember 'presa' is the one captured or taken. The hunter is the 'depredador' (predator).

General vs. Specific Harm

Learners often default to 'víctima' for all situations. Remember that 'afectado' is better for those impacted by a specific event (like a closure), while 'ofendido' is for when someone has been personally wronged or insulted.

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