acusado
nounCEFR B2
What does “acusado” mean in English?
defendant/the accused — the person formally charged with a crime in a judicial proceeding
defendant/the accused — the person formally charged with a crime in a judicial proceeding (el acusado negó los cargos, los derechos del acusado)
Example sentences
El acusado ejerció su derecho a no declarar, una opción que la defensa consideró estratégicamente aconsejable.
The defendant exercised his right not to testify, an option the defence considered strategically advisable.
La fiscal pidió doce años de prisión para el acusado, mientras que la defensa solicitó la absolución.
The prosecutor requested twelve years in prison for the defendant, while the defence requested acquittal.
Los derechos del acusado incluyen ser informado de los cargos y contar con asistencia letrada desde el primer momento.
The rights of the accused include being informed of the charges and having legal assistance from the outset.
How to use it
El/la acusado/a means 'defendant' or 'the accused' — the person charged with a crime in a judicial proceeding. At B2 it is essential in journalistic and legal discourse. Key collocations: el acusado negó los cargos, declarar culpable/inocente al acusado, los derechos del acusado, el banco del acusado (the dock). The noun derives from the past participle of acusar. Distinguish from imputado/a (accused — used during investigation before formal charge) and sospechoso/a (suspect — before any charge).
Common mistake
Acusado (formally charged defendant in trial) vs imputado (under judicial investigation, pre-charge — this term has been replaced by investigado in Spain's 2015 reform, though imputado persists in common use) vs sospechoso (suspect — before any judicial proceeding). The English 'defendant' maps most precisely to acusado in the trial context. Do not use *defendido for 'defendant' — that is not a Spanish legal term; the person's lawyer is el/la defensor/a or la defensa.