dignidad
nounCEFR B2
What does “dignidad” mean in English?
dignity — the inherent worth and right to respectful treatment owed to every person
dignity — the inherent worth and right to respectful treatment owed to every person (la dignidad humana, tratar con dignidad)
Example sentences
Tratar a las personas mayores con dignidad no es un favor, sino una obligación que la sociedad tiene con quienes la construyeron.
Treating elderly people with dignity is not a favour, but an obligation society owes to those who built it.
Las condiciones del centro de internamiento han sido denunciadas por atentar contra la dignidad de los detenidos.
The conditions in the detention centre have been condemned for violating the dignity of detainees.
El derecho a una vivienda digna es inseparable del derecho a vivir con dignidad.
The right to adequate housing is inseparable from the right to live with dignity.
How to use it
La dignidad means 'dignity' — the inherent worth and respect owed to every person. At B2 it is a key term in ethical, legal, and political discourse. Common collocations: la dignidad humana, tratar con dignidad, atentar contra la dignidad, vivir con dignidad. The verb atentar contra is particularly important: it means to violate or offend against dignity. Dignity in Spanish often carries a stronger, more legally weighted tone than in English — it appears in constitutions, human rights texts, and public policy debate.
Common mistake
Dignidad (inherent human worth) is distinct from orgullo (pride, feeling proud) and autoestima (self-esteem). 'She left with her dignity intact' = 'Se fue con la dignidad intacta' — not orgullo. In legal contexts, la dignidad humana is almost always paired with derechos fundamentales; in everyday speech, tratar con dignidad is the go-to phrase.