condenados a muerte
/kondenados a mweɾte/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'death row inmates' is translated into Spanish as condenados a muerte.
This phrase refers to prisoners who have been sentenced to death by a court of law.
Which one should you use?
While condenados a muerte is the standard term, you may see presos en el corredor de la muerte, which is a more literal translation of the English concept of being 'on death row' (the corridor of death).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In parts of Latin America, including Mexico, you may hear the term condenados a pena de muerte.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must agree in number with the subject. Use the singular condenado a muerte for one inmate. Additionally, adding the definite article 'la' before 'muerte' to say condenados a la muerte is grammatically correct and common in many Spanish-speaking regions.
Did you know?
- The word muerte appears in the phrase muerte súbita, which is used in Spanish sports broadcasting to describe a 'sudden death' overtime period.
- The word condenado is also used in some religious contexts in Spanish to refer to those who are 'damned' in the afterlife.
- The phrase corredor de la muerte is a calque, meaning it was translated literally from the English 'death row' rather than originating from a native Spanish legal concept.
Examples in context
- El sistema judicial permite la ejecución de los reclusos en el corredor de la muerte.The judicial system allows the execution of death row inmates.
- En esos estados, todos los condenados a muerte son mantenidos en una prisión de máxima seguridad.In those states, all death row inmates are held in a maximum-security prison.
- Los condenados a muerte esperan su ejecución.The death row inmates await their execution.
- El abogado defendió a los condenados a muerte.The lawyer defended the death row inmates.
- Hay muchos condenados a muerte en esa prisión.There are many death row inmates in that prison.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are discussing a news report about the legal system.
- DanielLeí que hay diez condenados a muerte hoy.I read that there are ten death row inmates today.
- ElenaEso es una cantidad muy alta, Daniel.That is a very high number, Daniel.
- DanielSí, los condenados a muerte esperan el juicio final.Yes, death row inmates await the final judgment.
- ElenaEs un tema muy triste, Elena piensa.It is a very sad topic, Elena thinks.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
