Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate
Amendment in Spanish: Enmienda
Enmienda · noun · ehn-mee-EN-dah
The Spanish word 'enmienda' translates to 'amendment,' referring to a formal change or addition made to a law, document, or agreement. It is commonly used in legal, political, and constitutional contexts. The verb form 'enmendar' means to amend or correct.
ehn-mee-EN-dah
El congreso aprobó una enmienda a la ley de educación pública.
Congress approved an amendment to the public education law.
Amendment in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for amendment, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| enmienda | amendment | ehn-mee-EN-dah | Default, widely understood |
| modificación | amendment | general changes to documents | |
| reforma | amendment | constitutional or legal reforms |
How Native Speakers Use Enmienda
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Legal context
La enmienda constitucional garantiza la libertad de prensa en todo el territorio nacional.
The constitutional amendment guarantees freedom of the press throughout the national territory.
Enmienda constitucional is the standard term for a constitutional amendment.
Contract revision
Los abogados redactaron una enmienda al contrato original para incluir nuevas cláusulas.
The lawyers drafted an amendment to the original contract to include new clauses.
Enmienda applies to any formal document modification, not just legislation.
Parliamentary debate
El senador presentó una enmienda que buscaba reducir los impuestos a las pequeñas empresas.
The senator introduced an amendment aimed at reducing taxes for small businesses.
Presentar una enmienda is the standard phrase for proposing an amendment.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Enmienda
Wrong synonym
Incorrect: Hicieron una corrección a la constitución.
Correct: Hicieron una enmienda a la constitución.
Corrección implies fixing an error, while enmienda refers to a formal, deliberate modification to a legal text through proper channels.
Anglicized form
Incorrect: La amendación fue aprobada por mayoría.
Correct: La enmienda fue aprobada por mayoría.
Amendación is not a recognized Spanish word; English speakers sometimes construct it by analogy with other -tion/-ción patterns, but enmienda is correct.
Lock in Amendment Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
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See Enmienda used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Amendment in Spanish
- Is enmienda used the same way across Latin America and Spain?
- Enmienda is universally understood in legal and political discourse throughout the Spanish-speaking world. However, some countries prefer 'reforma' when discussing constitutional changes, reserving enmienda for smaller-scale modifications to specific articles or clauses.
- What is the verb form of enmienda?
- The verb is 'enmendar,' meaning to amend, correct, or modify formally. It is a stem-changing verb (e→ie), so it conjugates as 'enmiendo, enmiendas, enmienda' in the present tense, following the same pattern as 'entender.'
- How do you say 'First Amendment' in Spanish?
- When discussing the U.S. Constitution, the standard translation is 'la Primera Enmienda.' Spanish capitalizes 'Primera' because it functions as part of a proper name, and news outlets throughout Latin America use this exact phrasing in political coverage.