infringir
verbCEFR B2
What does “infringir” mean in English?
to violate, to infringe
to violate, to infringe (infringir + law/rule — break a legal norm or right)
Example sentences
La empresa fue sancionada por infringir la normativa de protección de datos personales de los usuarios.
The company was fined for infringing the personal data protection regulations of users.
El acuerdo establece mecanismos para actuar cuando alguna de las partes infrinja sus compromisos.
The agreement establishes mechanisms for action when any of the parties infringes its commitments.
Varios estados miembros han sido denunciados por infringir de forma reiterada los tratados de libre comercio.
Several member states have been reported for repeatedly infringing free trade treaties.
How to use it
Infringir means 'to infringe', 'to violate', or 'to breach'. It is used in legal and regulatory contexts: infringir la ley (break the law), infringir la normativa (violate the regulations), infringir derechos (infringe rights). The noun is infracción (infringement/violation). Near-synonyms in order of formality: infringir > transgredir > vulnerar > incumplir. Vulnerar (violate — often rights specifically) and incumplir (fail to comply) are common alternatives.
Common mistake
Infringir (violate a legal norm) vs. vulnerar (violate a right — more specifically about rights and dignity) vs. incumplir (fail to comply — emphasises non-fulfilment of an obligation). In rights-based discourse, vulnerar derechos is more standard than infringir derechos. The noun infracción covers both traffic violations and legal/regulatory breaches.