Learn Spanish (Spain): El delito es muy grave.

El delito es muy grave.

The crime is very serious.

Breakdown of El delito es muy grave.

Questions & Answers about El delito es muy grave.

Why does the sentence use delito instead of crimen for "crime"?

In Spanish, crimen usually refers to a very violent or horrific act, like murder. For general crimes, offenses, or breaking the law, delito is the more common and accurate word.

Why do we use es instead of está here?

We use es (from the verb ser) because being serious is a core characteristic of this specific crime. The verb estar is used for temporary states, but the severity of a crime is a permanent fact about it.

Could I say muy serio instead of muy grave?

You would be understood, but grave is much more natural here. Grave means serious in the sense of severe, heavy, or having bad consequences. It is the best word for crimes, injuries, and illnesses. Serio is usually used to describe someone's personality or a non-joking tone.

Does grave mean the same thing as a cemetery grave in English?

No, they just look similar! In Spanish, grave is an adjective meaning severe or serious. If you want to talk about a burial grave in a cemetery, the Spanish word is tumba.