civil
adjectiveCEFR B2
What does “civil” mean in English?
civil, civic
civil, civic (relating to citizens, the state, or civilian life; sociedad civil; estado civil; guerra civil)
Example sentences
Las organizaciones de la sociedad civil presionaron al gobierno para que incluyera la voz de los colectivos más vulnerables.
Civil society organisations pressured the government to include the voice of the most vulnerable groups.
Decidieron casarse por lo civil para evitar la ceremonia religiosa, aunque sí celebraron una fiesta.
They decided to have a civil wedding to avoid the religious ceremony, though they did hold a party.
La guerra civil de los años treinta dejó heridas en la sociedad española que tardarían décadas en cicatrizarse.
The civil war of the nineteen-thirties left wounds in Spanish society that would take decades to heal.
How to use it
Civil has several related senses at B2, all classifying (takes ser): (1) of or relating to citizens/civic life: derechos civiles, sociedad civil, guerra civil; (2) non-military or non-religious: matrimonio civil, registro civil; (3) polite/courteous (somewhat formal): comportarse de forma civil. Key compound: sociedad civil (civil society) — essential for B2 discourse on democracy and social movements. Registro civil = civil registry (births, deaths, marriages). Guerra civil = civil war.
Common mistake
Civil in Spanish covers both 'civic' and 'polite' senses, but the polite sense (comportarse de forma civil = to behave civilly) is more formal/literary than in English. The primary B2 uses are sociedad civil, guerra civil, matrimonio civil, and derechos civiles. Don't confuse with cívico (civic-minded, relating to civic duties) — cívico describes the quality of being a good citizen, while civil classifies a relationship to the state or non-religious institutions.