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"Policial" is an adjective which is often translated as "police", and "policía" is a noun which is also often translated as "police". Learn more about the difference between "policial" and "policía" below.
policial(
poh
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lee
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syahl
)la policía, el policía(
poh
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lee
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see
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ah
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
1. (body)
a. police
Alguien llamó a la policía desde el lugar del secuestro.Someone called the police from the place where the kidnapping occurred.
b. cops (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Cuando llegó la policía, los camorristas se dispersaron en todas direcciones.When the cops arrived, the rioters dispersed in all directions.
This means that the noun can be masculine or feminine, depending on the gender of the noun it refers to (e.g., el doctor, la doctora).
2. (profession)
b. policeman (masculine)
A word or phrase that is masculine (e.g., el libro).
Un policía vigila esta calle día y noche.A policeman guards this street day and night.
c. policewoman (feminine)
A word or phrase that is feminine (e.g., la manzana).
Ella es policía del departamento antidroga.She is a policewoman in the narcotics department.
d. cop (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Un policía se nos acercó y nos pidió la identificación.A cop came up to us and asked us for our IDs.
