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December 17, 2020 by Michelle Margaret Fajkus Spanish Vocabulary 0 comments

How to Say ‘Sentence’ in Spanish: 4 Useful Synonyms for Your Speech

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.

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.”

Example Sentences – oraciones de ejemplo

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.

Common Phrases – frases comunes

La oración completa – complete sentence, full sentence

Todas las respuestas deben ser escritas en oraciones completas. 

(All answers must be written in complete sentences.)

La oración temática – topic sentence

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)

La oración seguida – run-on sentence

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.)

La oración compuesta – compound sentence

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 – frases comunes

Completar la frase – finish the sentence

La frase hecha – set phrase, idiom

La frase adverbial – adverbial phrase 

La frase preposicional – prepositional phrase 

Example Sentences – oraciones de ejemplo

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 with Example Sentences

La pena de prisión – prison term/sentence, jail term/sentence, term of imprisonment

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.)

La pena de muerte – death penalty

Lo condenaron a la pena de muerte por sus crímines imperdonables. 

(He was given the death penalty for his inexcusable crimes.)

Bajo pena de – under penalty of

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 pena capital – capital punishment, death penalty

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.)

La pena máxima – maximum penalty, maximum term, maximum 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.”

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

Como Paola era inocente, la corte no la sentenció. 

(As Paola was innocent, the court did not sentence her.)

Condenar – to sentence, condemn, convict, doom, damn, indict, deplore

Tenemos que condenar la intolerancia y la xenofobia.

(We have to condemn intolerance and xenophobia.)

More Example Sentences – más oraciones de ejemplo

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!

Did you know that one of the fastest ways to gain fluency in Spanish is through personalized classes? Sign up for a free trial class at Homeschool Spanish Academy to discuss the use of synonyms and practice speaking Spanish with one of our certified, native-speaking teachers from Guatemala.They’re friendly, experienced, and equipped to provide you with meaningful and enjoyable guidance in Spanish. 

(If you’re not yet convinced, learn more about how HSA classes work!)

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Michelle Margaret Fajkus
Editor & Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy
Michelle Margaret Fajkus is a bilingual writer and longtime yoga teacher. A former advertising copywriter turned bilingual elementary school teacher, she is now a freelance writer, editor and translator. A native Texan, Michelle has Mexican roots and learned Spanish in middle and high school. She has become more fluent thanks to living as an expat in Guatemala. She lives with her family on beautiful Lake Atitlan. Learn more about Michelle and her work at yogafreedom.org.
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