el policía
An officer of the law responsible for maintaining public order.
el policía em 30 segundos
- Refers to a male police officer specifically.
- The noun 'policía' ends in 'a' regardless of gender.
- 'La policía' can mean a female officer or the institution.
- Commonly used with 'llamar', 'ver', and 'ayudar'.
The term el policía refers specifically to a male police officer. In Spanish, this word is a 'sustantivo común en cuanto al género,' meaning the grammatical gender changes depending on the person being described. While el policía is the man, la policía can refer to either a female officer or the entire police force as an institution. Understanding this distinction is crucial for A2 learners who are beginning to navigate public services and safety descriptions in Spanish-speaking countries.
- Gender Distinction
- Use 'el' for a man and 'la' for a woman or the organization.
- Institutional Use
- 'La policía' (singular) refers to the collective body of law enforcement.
- Pluralization
- 'Los policías' refers to a group of officers (mixed or all male).
"El policía me ayudó a encontrar la calle principal cuando estaba perdido en Madrid."
In a broader sense, the police officer represents the state's authority. When you see a patrol car (patrulla) or a station (comisaría), you are interacting with the infrastructure of 'la policía'. It is important to note that different countries have different names for their forces, such as the Guardia Civil in Spain or the Carabineros in Chile, but 'policía' remains the universal term understood everywhere.
"Llamé a la policía porque hubo un accidente en la esquina."
- Formal Address
- Address an officer as 'Agente' or 'Oficial' for maximum respect.
- Visual Cues
- Look for the 'uniforme' (uniform) and 'placa' (badge).
Using el policía correctly involves pairing it with specific verbs of action and knowing the right prepositions. For A2 learners, the most common verbs are llamar (to call), ver (to see), and preguntar (to ask). When you are reporting a crime or seeking help, you are usually interacting with 'un policía' (an officer) or 'la policía' (the service).
"Debes llamar al policía si ves algo sospechoso en el parque."
Grammatically, remember the 'personal a'. Because a police officer is a person, if they are the direct object of a verb, you must use 'a'. For example: 'Busco a un policía'. Without the 'a', the sentence sounds robotic and incorrect to native speakers. This is a common hurdle for English speakers where the 'a' does not exist.
- Action Verbs
- Detener (to arrest), Multar (to fine), Patrullar (to patrol).
- Common Locations
- La comisaría, el cuartel, el puesto de control.
"El policía de tráfico nos pidió los documentos del coche."
You will encounter the word policía in various environments, from the mundane to the urgent. In the news (las noticias), you will hear reports about 'la intervención de la policía'. In daily life, you might hear someone say '¡Viene la policía!' if there is a disturbance. In airports or border crossings, signs will direct you to the 'Control de Policía'.
"Atención, por favor, sigan las instrucciones de la policía local."
- Media Context
- Crime dramas (series policíacas) and news broadcasts.
- Public Safety
- Public announcements in stations or stadiums.
In literature and film, the 'policía' is a staple character. You might hear 'el policía bueno' (the good cop) and 'el policía malo' (the bad cop) tropes. In music, especially in genres like Reggaeton or Rock en Español, the police are often mentioned in the context of social commentary or street life.
The most frequent error for English speakers is saying 'el policío'. Because the word ends in 'a', many students assume it must be feminine and try to 'fix' it for a male officer. Remember: the noun is 'policía' for everyone. Only the article (el/la) changes.
- Mistake 1
- Using 'el policío' instead of 'el policía'.
- Mistake 2
- Confusing 'la policía' (the force) with 'el policía' (the person).
- Mistake 3
- Omitting the 'personal a' (e.g., 'Veo el policía' instead of 'Veo al policía').
"Incorrecto: Hablé con la policía (if you mean one man). Correcto: Hablé con el policía."
Another mistake is using 'policía' to describe the police station. In Spanish, the station is la comisaría or la estación de policía. You don't 'go to the police' in the sense of a building by just saying 'voy a la policía' (though it is understood, it's less precise than 'voy a la comisaría').
While policía is the standard term, several synonyms and related words exist depending on the level of formality and the specific country. Agente is a very common and respectful alternative. Oficial is also used, particularly in higher ranks or in Latin American contexts.
- Agente
- Generic term for an officer, very common in news.
- Guardia
- Often used for security guards or specific civil forces.
- Madero / Pasma
- Slang terms used in Spain (use with caution!).
"El agente de seguridad revisó mi mochila en la entrada."
In some regions, you might hear el patrullero (the patroller) or el gendarme. It's helpful to know these so you aren't confused when a local uses a regionalism, but as a learner, sticking to 'policía' will always get your point across clearly.
How Formal Is It?
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Nível de dificuldade
Gramática essencial
Exemplos por nível
El policía tiene un coche azul.
The police officer has a blue car.
Basic SVO structure.
Yo veo a un policía.
I see a police officer.
Use of 'personal a' with a person.
El policía es mi amigo.
The police officer is my friend.
Use of 'ser' for professions/identity.
Hay un policía en la calle.
There is a police officer on the street.
Use of 'hay' for existence.
¿Dónde está el policía?
Where is the police officer?
Use of 'estar' for location.
El policía lleva un uniforme.
The police officer wears a uniform.
Verb 'llevar' for clothing.
El policía ayuda a la gente.
The police officer helps people.
Present tense 'ayuda'.
Un policía camina por el parque.
A police officer walks through the park.
Indefinite article 'un'.
El policía me dio una multa.
The police officer gave me a fine.
Preterite tense 'dio'.
Hablamos con el policía de tráfico.
We spoke with the traffic cop.
Preterite 'hablamos'.
El policía busca al ladrón.
The police officer is looking for the thief.
Verb 'buscar' + personal a.
La policía llegó muy rápido.
The police (force) arrived very quickly.
Collective noun 'la policía'.
El policía pidió mi identificación.
The police officer asked for my ID.
Preterite 'pidió'.
Vi a un policía en la esquina.
I saw a police officer on the corner.
Preterite 'vi' + personal a.
El policía no está en la comisaría.
The police officer is not at the station.
Negative sentence with 'estar'.
Los policías corren tras el coche.
The police officers are running after the car.
Plural 'los policías'.
Si ves un robo, llama al policía inmediatamente.
If you see a robbery, call the police officer immediately.
Conditional 'si' + imperative.
El policía que nos ayudó era muy amable.
The police officer who helped us was very kind.
Relative clause with 'que'.
Espero que el policía encuentre mis llaves.
I hope the police officer finds my keys.
Present subjunctive 'encuentre'.
El policía estaba patrullando cuando ocurrió el accidente.
The police officer was patrolling when the accident occurred.
Past continuous + Preterite.
No creo que el policía sepa la verdad.
I don't think the police officer knows the truth.
Subjunctive after 'no creo que'.
El policía nos dijo que esperáramos aquí.
The police officer told us to wait here.
Imperfect subjunctive 'esperáramos'.
Había muchos policías en la manifestación.
There were many police officers at the protest.
Imperfect 'había'.
El policía se quitó el sombrero al entrar.
The police officer took off his hat upon entering.
Reflexive 'se quitó'.
El policía arrestó al sospechoso tras una larga persecución.
The police officer arrested the suspect after a long chase.
Complex sentence with 'tras'.
A pesar de ser policía, no le gusta usar armas.
Despite being a police officer, he doesn't like using weapons.
Concessive 'a pesar de'.
El policía actuó de acuerdo con el protocolo.
The police officer acted according to protocol.
Adverbial phrase 'de acuerdo con'.
Dudo que el policía haya visto el vídeo todavía.
I doubt the police officer has seen the video yet.
Present perfect subjunctive.
El policía fue condecorado por su valentía.
The police officer was decorated for his bravery.
Passive voice 'fue condecorado'.
El policía interrogó al testigo durante horas.
The police officer interrogated the witness for hours.
Preterite 'interrogó'.
Siempre que ve a un policía, se pone nervioso.
Whenever he sees a police officer, he gets nervous.
Temporal 'siempre que'.
El policía infiltrado descubrió la red criminal.
The undercover police officer discovered the criminal network.
Adjective 'infiltrado'.
La labor del policía es fundamental para la cohesión social.
The police officer's work is fundamental for social cohesion.
Abstract noun 'labor'.
El policía se vio envuelto en una polémica mediática.
The police officer found himself involved in a media controversy.
Passive reflexive 'se vio envuelto'.
Resulta imperativo que el policía mantenga la calma en situaciones críticas.
It is imperative that the police officer remains calm in critical situations.
Impersonal expression + subjunctive.
El policía, cuya placa brillaba al sol, se acercó lentamente.
The police officer, whose badge shone in the sun, approached slowly.
Relative pronoun 'cuya'.
Ni el policía más experimentado pudo prever tal desenlace.
Not even the most experienced police officer could foresee such an outcome.
Superlative 'más experimentado'.
El policía procedió a la lectura de los derechos del detenido.
The police officer proceeded to read the detainee's rights.
Formal verb 'proceder a'.
Aquel policía encarnaba los valores de la institución.
That police officer embodied the values of the institution.
Literary verb 'encarnar'.
El policía no pudo sino obedecer las órdenes superiores.
The police officer could do nothing but obey superior orders.
Idiomatic 'no pudo sino'.
La figura del policía ha sido mitificada por la novela negra.
The figure of the police officer has been mythologized by noir fiction.
Passive voice 'ha sido mitificada'.
El policía se debatía entre el deber y su brújula moral.
The police officer struggled between duty and his moral compass.
Reflexive 'se debatía'.
Bajo la apariencia de un simple policía, se escondía un genio de la criminología.
Under the guise of a simple police officer, a criminology genius was hidden.
Prepositional phrase 'bajo la apariencia de'.
La deontología del policía exige una integridad a toda prueba.
The police officer's deontology demands ironclad integrity.
Technical term 'deontología'.
El policía hizo caso omiso de las provocaciones del gentío.
The police officer ignored the provocations of the crowd.
Idiom 'hacer caso omiso'.
No por ser policía está exento de cumplir las leyes que custodia.
Just because he is a police officer doesn't mean he is exempt from following the laws he guards.
Complex negation 'no por... está exento'.
El policía escudriñó la escena del crimen con minuciosidad.
The police officer scrutinized the crime scene with thoroughness.
Sophisticated verb 'escudriñar'.
La omnipresencia del policía en la zona confería una falsa sensación de seguridad.
The omnipresence of the police officer in the area conferred a false sense of security.
Abstract subject and formal verb 'conferir'.
Colocações comuns
Frases Comuns
Llamar a la policía
Ser policía
Hablar con el policía
El policía de turno
Un policía de paisano
La policía científica
Aviso a la policía
Intervención de la policía
Custodia de la policía
Orden de la policía
Frequentemente confundido com
Means 'politics' or 'policy', not the officer.
Means 'a Polish person'.
Means an 'insurance policy'.
Expressões idiomáticas
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Fácil de confundir
Padrões de frases
Família de palavras
Substantivos
Verbos
Adjetivos
Relacionado
Como usar
'Oficial' is common in Latin America; 'Agente' is common in Spain.
'Los policías' is the most common plural for a group.
Use 'la policía' for the force, 'el policía' for the man.
- Saying 'el policío'.
- Forgetting the 'personal a' with verbs like 'ver' or 'llamar'.
- Confusing 'policía' (officer) with 'política' (politics).
- Using 'la policía' to refer to a single male officer.
- Not using 'usted' when addressing an officer.
Dicas
Gender Consistency
Even though it ends in -a, treat 'el policía' as masculine for adjectives: 'El policía es bajo'.
Institution
Use 'la policía' when you mean the concept of law enforcement: 'La policía investiga el caso'.
Respect
Always use 'usted' when speaking to a police officer to show respect for their authority.
Accent Mark
Don't forget the tilde on the 'í'. It changes the pronunciation and separates the vowels.
Spelling
Ensure you spell it with a 'c' and not an 's', as in some other languages.
Regionalisms
In Chile, call them 'Carabineros' if you want to sound like a local, but 'policía' is fine.
Emergency Number
In many Spanish-speaking countries, the emergency number is 112 or 911.
Movies
Watch 'Cine Policíaco' to hear the word used in high-stakes, natural contexts.
Visualizing
Visualize a blue uniform every time you say the word to anchor the meaning.
Asking Directions
Police officers are often the safest people to ask for directions in a new city.
Memorize
Origem da palavra
From Latin 'politia', and earlier from Greek 'politeia' (citizenship, administration, civil government).
Contexto cultural
The national police are called 'Carabineros'.
The Guardia Civil is a military-status force often seen on highways.
The term 'judicial' was often used for investigative police.
The 'Policía Federal Argentina' is the main national body.
Pratique na vida real
Contextos reais
Iniciadores de conversa
"¿Has tenido que llamar al policía alguna vez?"
"¿Cómo es el uniforme del policía en tu país?"
"¿Crees que hay suficientes policías en esta ciudad?"
"¿Qué harías si vieras a un policía persiguiendo a alguien?"
"¿Es difícil ser policía en tu opinión?"
Temas para diário
Describe una vez que viste a un policía ayudando a alguien.
¿Te gustaría ser policía? ¿Por qué sí o por qué no?
Escribe un diálogo entre un turista perdido y un policía.
¿Qué importancia tiene el policía en una sociedad democrática?
Imagina que eres un policía por un día. ¿Qué harías?
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasSe dice siempre 'el policía'. La palabra 'policío' no existe en español. El género se indica con el artículo 'el' o 'la'.
Puede significar dos cosas: una mujer policía o la institución/fuerza policial en su totalidad.
Puedes decir '¡Perdone, agente!' o '¡Oficial, necesito ayuda!' para ser respetuoso.
No, es una palabra llana o grave porque termina en vocal y el acento está en la penúltima sílaba (cí).
En España, la Policía Nacional actúa en ciudades y la Guardia Civil tiene carácter militar y actúa en zonas rurales y carreteras.
Sí, es una forma abreviada e informal, similar a 'the cops' en inglés, pero úsala solo con amigos.
Se dice 'la comisaría' o 'la estación de policía'.
Se usa la 'a personal' porque el policía es una persona específica o personificada como objeto directo.
Sí, los agentes de los cuerpos de seguridad del Estado en España portan armas de fuego reglamentarias.
Se dice 'el coche de policía' o 'la patrulla'.
Teste-se 180 perguntas
/ 180 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Always remember that 'policía' is a common-gender noun; the gender is indicated by the article (el/la), but the word itself never changes to 'policío'. It is the standard term for law enforcement across the Spanish-speaking world.
- Refers to a male police officer specifically.
- The noun 'policía' ends in 'a' regardless of gender.
- 'La policía' can mean a female officer or the institution.
- Commonly used with 'llamar', 'ver', and 'ayudar'.
Gender Consistency
Even though it ends in -a, treat 'el policía' as masculine for adjectives: 'El policía es bajo'.
Institution
Use 'la policía' when you mean the concept of law enforcement: 'La policía investiga el caso'.
Respect
Always use 'usted' when speaking to a police officer to show respect for their authority.
Accent Mark
Don't forget the tilde on the 'í'. It changes the pronunciation and separates the vowels.
Conteúdo relacionado
Gramática relacionada
Mais palavras de society
adulta
A2Adult (female); a woman who is fully grown or developed.
aldea
A2Village. A small community or group of houses in a rural area.
amenaza
A2A threat, a statement of intent to inflict harm.
amenazar
B1to threaten, to menace
amiga
A1Uma amiga. Uma pessoa do sexo feminino com quem se tem uma relação de amizade.
Amigo
A1Um amigo é uma pessoa com quem se tem um vínculo de afeto. Ele é meu amigo de confiança.
anciano
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aparte
A2Separately or to one side.
apoyar
A2É fundamental apoiar os amigos nos momentos difíceis.
apoyo
A2A palavra 'apoyo' significa apoio ou suporte, seja ele físico, emocional ou financeiro.
