What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
ladron
Example
El ladron robó mi cartera en la calle. [ladron: noun]
Example
La policía atrapó al ladron que había robado la tienda. [ladron: noun]
thief
Example
The thief stole my wallet on the street. [thief: noun]
Example
The police caught the thief who had robbed the store. [thief: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Thief is more commonly used than ladron in everyday English language. Thief is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while ladron is less common and refers specifically to theft in Spanish-speaking countries.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between ladron and thief?
Both ladron and thief are considered formal words and are appropriate for use in formal contexts such as legal documents or news articles reporting on theft or robbery incidents.
