juicio
/ˈxwiθjo/
The Spanish word for trial is juicio.
The term juicio refers to a formal examination of evidence in a court of law to decide a legal case. Note that while it refers to a legal trial, it can also mean 'judgment' in a general or philosophical sense.
Which one should you use?
While juicio is the standard term for a legal trial, other words may be used depending on the context or region. Proceso can be used to emphasize the legal process itself. In a different sense, juicio can also mean 'judgment'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Regional variations include proceso in Argentina, litigio in Mexico to convey the legal aspect of a trial and the expression Vista oral in Spain to refer specifically to an oral trial.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈxwiθjo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse juicio (trial/judgment) with ensayo (a trial run or rehearsal), as these are not interchangeable in a legal context.
Did you know?
- In some contexts, tener juicio can describe a child who is well-behaved and mature for their age.
- The phrase juicio final refers to the Last Judgment in a theological context, describing the final trial of humanity.
- The English word 'judgment' and the Spanish juicio share the same Latin ancestor, iūdicium, meaning 'a decision or a judgment'.
Examples in context
- El juicio duró cinco días.The trial lasted five days.This sentence shows how to express the duration of a juicio.Tatoeba #1271544 by Silvestre, translation #806963 by Source_VOA
- El juicio continuará el lunes.The trial will continue Monday.This sentence is useful for stating when a juicio will continue.Tatoeba #5970826 by arh, translation #4665035 by CK
- Tom no testificó durante el juicio.Tom didn't testify during the trial.This sentence illustrates the use of juicio in relation to testifying.Tatoeba #7865784 by Seael, translation #6254534 by CK
- El juicio está programado para el próximo mesThe trial is scheduled for next month
- El proceso sigue su curso y se espera que dure varios mesesThe trial is ongoing and is expected to last several months
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are discussing a news report about a legal case.
- Mateo¿Viste las noticias sobre el juicio?Did you see the news about the trial?
- SofíaSí, el juicio parece muy complicado.Yes, the trial seems very complicated.
- MateoEspero que el juez sea justo en su juicio.I hope the judge is fair in his judgment.
- SofíaEs difícil saber qué pasará después del juicio.It is hard to know what will happen after the trial.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry juicio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries juicio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
