Spanish Conversation · Level 19
90 words
Spanish word
policía
Pronunciation
IPA/poliˈθia/
Meaning
- feminine nounpolice
Example
La policía llegó rápido.
The police arrived quickly.
More examples
El policía ayudó a los niños a cruzar la calle.
The police officer helped the children cross the street.
Core concept
A single uniformed officer standing by a patrol car.
Common phrases
llamar a la policía
call the police
oficial de policía
police officer
equipo de policía
police unit
Similar words
agente: Individual officer responding to calls and enforcing laws at incident scenes.
comisaría: Police station building that handles reports, investigations, and local administration.
patrulla: Marked vehicle used for patrolling neighborhoods and providing urgent responses.
policía municipal: City-run police force responsible for maintaining public order within the municipality.
Definition in Spanish
La policía designa al cuerpo o servicio público que vela por la seguridad y el orden, y asimismo al miembro individual que actúa como agente en la vía pública.
Word origin
Borrowed from Old French police and ultimately from Latin politia 'public administration', the word extends from meanings of civic order to the institution that enforces it and to individual officers.
Usage tips
- When addressing an officer in the street Spanish speakers often use señor or señora or the neutral agente, and la policía refers to the force rather than a single person.