Spanish Conversation · Level 33
75 words
Spanish word
delatar
Pronunciation
IPA/delaˈtaɾ/
Meaning
- verbinform on
Example
La vecina delató al ladrón a la policía.
The neighbor informed on the thief to the police.
More examples
Ella no quiso delatar a su amigo por miedo.
She didn't want to inform on her friend out of fear.
Core concept
Exposing someone's hidden wrongdoing to authorities.
Common phrases
delatar un secreto
reveal a secret
delatar a un compañero
inform on a colleague
Similar words
denunciar: Officially reports a crime or illegal act to police or authorities for investigation.
chivarse: Secretly tells an authority about someone's misdeed, causing the person to be scolded or punished.
acusar: Accuses someone of wrongdoing, asserting they are at fault.
entregar: Hands a person or information over to police or authorities, enabling arrest or detention.
Definition in Spanish
Dar a conocer a otros hechos ocultos o delitos de una persona, normalmente con la intención o el efecto de acusarla o perjudicarla.
Word origin
Derives from Latin delatio 'report' and delator 'informer', giving delatar the sense of reporting someone so they become accused.
Usage tips
- Delatar commonly appears with a alguien (delatar a alguien) and often carries a negative sense of betraying or harming the reported person rather than a neutral report.