responsabilidad
nounCEFR B2High frequency
What does “responsabilidad” mean in English?
1.responsibility, accountability — the obligation to act in a certain way or to answer for the consequences of one's actions
responsibility, accountability — the obligation to act in a certain way or to answer for the consequences of one's actions (asumir la responsabilidad)
2.responsibility, liability
responsibility, liability (a duty or legal obligation; asumir la responsabilidad; responsabilidad legal)
3.liability, legal responsibility — accountability under law or rules; legal exposure to claims
liability, legal responsibility — accountability under law or rules; legal exposure to claims (asumir responsabilidad; responsabilidad civil/penal; eximir de responsabilidad)
Example sentences
La responsabilidad colectiva ante el cambio climático exige que tanto los gobiernos como los ciudadanos adopten medidas concretas y urgentes.
Collective responsibility in the face of climate change requires that both governments and citizens adopt concrete and urgent measures.
Asumir la responsabilidad de una decisión equivocada es más difícil que buscar culpables entre los que la ejecutaron.
Taking responsibility for a wrong decision is harder than looking for someone to blame among those who carried it out.
How to use it
La responsabilidad means 'responsibility' — the obligation to act or answer for one's actions, whether personally, professionally, or collectively. At B2 it operates at two levels: individual (asumir la responsabilidad — to take responsibility) and collective/institutional (la responsabilidad del Estado, la responsabilidad corporativa). Key collocations: asumir/atribuir/eludir la responsabilidad, la responsabilidad colectiva, la responsabilidad social corporativa (CSR). Important: responsabilidad is not 'blame' (culpa) — it is more forward-looking: who is accountable and must act. 'Admitting responsibility' in a legal or ethical sense = reconocer la responsabilidad.
Common mistake
Responsabilidad (forward-looking accountability — who must act/answer) vs culpa (guilt/blame — backward-looking attribution of wrongdoing). 'Take responsibility' = 'asumir la responsabilidad'; 'take the blame' = 'cargar con la culpa'. Don't use responsabilidad to mean guilt.