How to Say ‘Sentence’ in Spanish: 5 Useful Synonyms
At the culmination of a trial, a judge or jury gives a sentence to a criminal… using a sentence.
A “sentence” in Spanish and English alike can refer to either a grammatical unit—a set of words that typically contain at least one subject and verb to convey a statement, question, exclamation, or command—or a term of punishment assigned to a defendant found guilty of a particular crime.
Keep reading to discover all the ways to say “sentence” in Spanish, including relevant vocabulary words accompanied by common phrases and example sentences.
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1. “Sentence” in Spanish: la oración
While la oración can mean “prayer,” it primarily denotes a “sentence”—as in a series of words strung together meaningfully with a punctuation mark at the end.
It also means “speech” or “oration.”
Common Phrases:
- La oración completa – complete sentence, full sentence
- La oración temática – topic sentence
- La oración seguida – run-on sentence
- La oración compuesta – compound sentence
Example Sentences:
Usar las palabras en una oración.
Use the words in a sentence.
¿Qué significa esta oración?
What does this sentence mean?
Usualmente, una oración debe llevar un sujeto y un verbo.
Usually, a sentence must have a subject and a verb.
James Joyce, el autor irlandés, escribió oraciones larguísimas.
James Joyce, the Irish author, wrote extremely long sentences.
Todas las respuestas deben ser escritas en oraciones completas.
All answers must be written in complete sentences.
Establecer una idea central con una oración temática cerca del principio del primer párrafo.
Establish a central idea with a topic sentence near the beginning of the first paragraph.
Una oración seguida tiene dos o más cláusulas independientes que no están correctamente unidas.
A run-on sentence has two or more independent clauses which are not properly joined.
Una oración compuesta tiene dos o más cláusulas independientes unidas por la palabra “y,” “pero,” u “o.”
A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses joined by the word “and,” “but,” or “or.”
2. “Sentence” in Spanish: la frase
The word la frase is the cognate of “phrase,” and despite the fact that a phrase is not a complete sentence, frase is often used to mean “sentence” in Spanish!
It also means quotation or statement.
Common Phrases:
- Completar la frase – finish the sentence
- La frase hecha – set phrase, idiom
- La frase adverbial – adverbial phrase
- La frase preposicional – prepositional phrase
Example Sentences:
En este tipo de pregunta la respuesta indica si la frase es correcta o incorrecta.
In this type of question, the answer indicates whether the statement is true or false.
La maestra le pidió a Yolanda que leyera la frase en la página 10.
The teacher asked Yolanda to read the sentence on page 10.
3. “Sentence” in Spanish: la pena
La pena means “pity,” “sadness,” “grief,” “shame,” and “sorrow,” and it can also refer to a legal sentence, penalty, or punishment.
For example:
- Reconozca que la pena que está experimentando es única.
- Recognize that the grief you are experiencing is unique.
- No puedo ir a la boda, ¡qué pena!
- I can’t go to the wedding; what a pity!
Two synonyms for the legal meaning of la pena are la sentencia and el veredicto.
For example:
- La sentencia fue pospuesta por seis meses.
- The sentence was delayed for six months.
- El acusado cerró sus ojos y oró después de oír el veredicto.
- The defendant closed his eyes and prayed after hearing the sentence.
Common Phrases:
- La pena de prisión – prison term/sentence, jail term/sentence, term of imprisonment
- La pena de muerte – death penalty
- Bajo pena de – under penalty of
- La pena capital – capital punishment, death penalty
- La pena máxima – maximum penalty, maximum term, maximum punishment
Example Sentences:
El médico perdió su licencia para practicar medicina y recibió pena de prisión.
The doctor lost his license to practice medicine and was sentenced to serve time in prison.
Lo condenaron a la pena de muerte por sus crímines imperdonables.
He was given the death penalty for his inexcusable crimes.
Bajo pena de perjurio, yo juro que las respuestas que he dado en esta solicitud son completas y correctas.
Under penalty of perjury, I swear that the answers I have given on this application are complete and correct.
La junta confía en que esta iniciativa sirva para consolidar la tendencia hacia la abolición de la pena capital.
The board is confident that this initiative will reinforce the trend towards abolition of capital punishment.
Cada cargo entraña una pena máxima de ocho años de reclusión y una multa de 100,000 dólares.
Each count carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison and a $100,000 fine upon conviction.
4. “Sentence” in Spanish: la cadena
La cadena is typically the word for “chain,” as in bicycle chain or chain store. It can also mean string, network, station, ridge, or strand.
For the purposes of this blog post, we are honing in on the phrase “cadena perpetua,” which translates to “life imprisonment” or “life sentence.”
Example Sentences:
Le dieron la pena de cadena perpetua por el homicidio.
He was given life imprisonment for the homicide.
Si la víctima fallece, el perpetrador será condenado a cadena perpetua.
If the victim dies, the perpetrator faces a life sentence.
Una sentencia a cadena perpetua significa que usted permanecerá toda su vida en prisión, sin salir, hasta su muerte.
A life sentence means that you serve your entire life without getting out of prison prior to your death.
5. “To Sentence” in Spanish: condenar
The regular -AR verbs, condenar and sentenciar mean “to sentence” in Spanish.
- Sentenciar – to sentence, adjudicate, convict, condemn
- Condenar – to sentence, condemn, convict, doom, damn, indict, deplore
Example Sentences:
Como Paola era inocente, la corte no la sentenció.
As Paola was innocent, the court did not sentence her.
Tenemos que condenar la intolerancia y la xenofobia.
We have to condemn intolerance and xenophobia.
La jueza condenó al acusado a quince años de prisión.
The judge sentenced the defendant to fifteen years in prison.
Se le va a sentenciar pasado mañana.
He will be sentenced the day after tomorrow.
Learn to Compose a Sentence in Spanish
Whether you’re discussing grammar or court cases, you are now equipped to use the word “sentence” in Spanish!
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