corrupto
adjectiveCEFR B2
What does “corrupto” mean in English?
corrupt — morally compromised through bribery or abuse of power
corrupt — morally compromised through bribery or abuse of power (funcionarios corruptos, sistema corrupto)
Example sentences
Los ciudadanos exigen que los funcionarios corruptos sean procesados con la misma severidad que el resto de la ciudadanía.
Citizens are demanding that corrupt officials be prosecuted with the same severity as the rest of the public.
Las instituciones corruptas no solo generan desigualdad: erosionan la confianza en el sistema democrático.
Corrupt institutions not only generate inequality: they erode trust in the democratic system.
Algunos críticos argumentan que el sistema financiero está tan corrupto que no puede reformarse desde dentro.
Some critics argue that the financial system is so corrupt that it cannot be reformed from within.
How to use it
Corrupto/a means 'corrupt' — morally compromised, especially through bribery or abuse of power. Takes ser. The noun forms are corrupción (corruption, the practice) and corrupto/a (the corrupt person). Key collocations: un sistema corrupto, un político corrupto, prácticas corruptas, luchar contra la corrupción. Related verb: corromper (to corrupt). Note: corrupto is an irregular past participle of corromper — it is also used as an adjective. The regular form corrompido also exists but corrupto is preferred as an adjective.
Common mistake
Corrupto (adjective: corrupt) vs corrupción (noun: corruption). The irregular past participle corrupto is preferred over corrompido as an adjective, though both are grammatically correct. In formal writing, distinguish between corrupto (the person or institution that is corrupt) and the noun corrupción (the system or practice): 'combatir la corrupción' not 'combatir lo corrupto'.