Rights, duties, and obligations in Spanish vocabulary, covering legal, civic, and everyday contexts to build foundational language skills.
Understanding rights and duties is essential for participating in society and navigating legal situations. This vocabulary set covers the most important Spanish terms for talking about responsibilities and entitlements.
- Includes nouns, verbs, and phrases for legal and everyday contexts
- Covers topics from voting rights to workplace obligations
- Provides example sentences for real-world usage
Rights (§)
Rights are legal or moral entitlements that allow individuals to act or be treated in certain ways. In Spanish, derecho is the most common word for “right,” but there are also specific terms for types of rights.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| derecho | derechos | right | rights | Todos tienen derecho a la educación. | Everyone has the right to education. |
| libertad | libertades | freedom | freedoms | La libertad de expresión es fundamental. | Freedom of speech is fundamental. |
| justicia | — | justice | — | Luchamos por la justicia social. | We fight for social justice. |
| igualdad | — | equality | — | La igualdad de género es importante. | Gender equality is important. |
| voto | votos | vote | votes | El derecho al voto es universal. | The right to vote is universal. |
| propiedad | propiedades | property | properties | Tiene derecho a la propiedad privada. | He has the right to private property. |
| privacidad | — | privacy | — | La privacidad debe ser respetada. | Privacy must be respected. |
| inmigración | — | immigration | — | Derecho a la inmigración legal. | Right to legal immigration. |
| trabajo | — | work | — | Derecho al trabajo digno. | Right to dignified work. |
| salud | — | health | — | Derecho a la salud pública. | Right to public health. |
Luchamos por la ___.
What is the Spanish word for 'justice'?
justicia
'Justicia' means 'justice.' 'Igualdad' means 'equality,' 'libertad' means 'freedom,' and 'derecho' means 'right.'
Duties (§)
Duties (or obligations) are responsibilities that individuals are expected or required to fulfill. The Spanish words deber and obligación are commonly used to talk about duties.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| deber | deberes | duty | duties | Tenemos el deber de respetar a los demás. | We have the duty to respect others. |
| obligación | obligaciones | obligation | obligations | Cumple con tus obligaciones escolares. | Fulfill your school duties. |
| respeto | — | respect | — | El respeto es una obligación social. | Respect is a social obligation. |
| responsabilidad | responsabilidades | responsibility | responsibilities | La responsabilidad es de todos. | The responsibility is everyone's. |
| contribución | contribuciones | contribution | contributions | Todos deben hacer su contribución. | Everyone must make their contribution. |
| trabajo | — | work | — | El trabajo es una obligación diaria. | Work is a daily obligation. |
| pago | pagos | payment | payments | Tienes la obligación de pagar impuestos. | You have the obligation to pay taxes. |
| servicio | servicios | service | services | Presta servicio a la comunidad. | Provide service to the community. |
| cumplimiento | — | compliance | — | El cumplimiento de las normas es obligatorio. | Compliance with rules is mandatory. |
| ciudadanía | — | citizenship | — | La ciudadanía implica deberes y derechos. | Citizenship involves duties and rights. |
Verbs (§)
These verbs are commonly used when talking about exercising rights or fulfilling duties. They appear in legal, political, and everyday conversations.
| Spanish Verb | English Verb | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| tener derecho a | to have the right to | Los trabajadores tienen derecho a descansar. | Workers have the right to rest. |
| cumplir | to fulfill/comply with | Cumple con tus responsabilidades. | Fulfill your responsibilities. |
| respetar | to respect | Respeta las opiniones ajenas. | Respect others’ opinions. |
| exigir | to demand | Los ciudadanos exigen justicia. | Citizens demand justice. |
| votar | to vote | Medios millones votaron ayer. | Half a million voted yesterday. |
| proteger | to protect | El gobierno protege los derechos humanos. | The government protects human rights. |
| denunciar | to report/denounce | Denunció la violación de sus derechos. | She reported the violation of her rights. |
| pagar | to pay | Paga tus impuestos a tiempo. | Pay your taxes on time. |
| participar | to participate | Participa en las elecciones locales. | Participate in local elections. |
| reclamar | to claim/demand | Reclaman mejores condiciones laborales. | They demand better working conditions. |
Phrases (§)
These common phrases help express ideas related to rights and duties in Spanish conversations, from legal contexts to everyday life.
| Spanish Phrase | English Translation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| tener derecho a … | to have the right to … | Todos tienen derecho a una vida digna. | Everyone has the right to a dignified life. |
| cumplir con … | to fulfill/comply with … | Cumple con tus deberes y obligaciones. | Fulfill your duties and obligations. |
| es obligación de … | it is the duty of … | Es obligación del Estado garantizar la educación. | It is the State’s duty to guarantee education. |
| derecho fundamental | fundamental right | La libertad es un derecho fundamental. | Freedom is a fundamental right. |
| deber cívico | civic duty | Votar es un deber cívico importantísimo. | Voting is a very important civic duty. |
| reclamar derechos | to claim rights | Los trabajadores reclaman sus derechos laborales. | Workers claim their labor rights. |
| estar obligado a … | to be obliged to … | Estás obligado a cumplir el reglamento. | You are obliged to follow the regulations. |
| respetar los derechos | to respect the rights | Todos debemos respetar los derechos humanos. | We all must respect human rights. |
| ejercer el derecho | to exercise the right | Ejerce tu derecho a votar con responsabilidad. | Exercise your right to vote responsibly. |
| incumplir con … | to fail to comply with … | Incumplir con las normas tiene consecuencias. | Failing to comply with rules has consequences. |
Understanding this core vocabulary will help you discuss topics related to legal systems, social justice, and everyday responsibilities in Spanish with confidence.
What does 'ejercer el derecho' mean?
to exercise the right
'Ejercer el derecho' means 'to exercise the right,' such as voting or speaking freely.
Flashcards (1 of 40)
- English Singular: right
- English Plural: rights
- English Example: Everyone has the right to education.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
