confederado
/konfedeˈɾado/
The Spanish word for 'confederate' (an accomplice in a plot) is confederado.
Meaning: an accomplice in a plot (noun)
Which one should you use?
While confederado can be used to mean an accomplice, it is much more commonly used in a historical context to refer to a member of the Confederate States during the American Civil War.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is gendered. Use the feminine form confederada if the accomplice is a woman. The plural form for a group of male accomplices or a mixed-gender group is confederados.
How do you pronounce it?
/konfedeˈɾado/
Did you know?
- In much of Latin America, you might hear the word compinche to describe a 'confederate' or a partner in mischief. This term is much more colloquial and carries a playful or informal tone compared to the formal confederado.
- Using confederado to describe a criminal partner can make you sound like a character from a 19th-century novel. The word carries an archaic, literary weight that feels out of place in everyday modern speech.
- If you use confederado in a political discussion in Latin America, people will likely assume you are talking about historical alliances or federations rather than a criminal conspiracy.
Examples in context
- La Confederación de Estados Americanos está compuesta por varios estados confederados.The Confederation of American States is composed of several Confederate states.
Example conversation
Two people are discussing a mystery novel.
- MateoMateo cree que el mayordomo es el confederado.Mateo thinks the butler is the confederate.
- SofíaYo creo que Sofía es la verdadera culpable.I think Sofía is the true culprit.
- MateoPero el confederado debe estar cerca de ella.But the confederate must be close to her.
- SofíaTienes razón, probablemente sea el jardinero.You're right, it's probably the gardener.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry confederado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
