How do you say 'responsible' in Spanish?

The word is responsable, a cognate that covers all the main meanings of the English word — dependable, in charge, and at fault. It does not change form between masculine and feminine, only between singular and plural (responsables).

Can responsable be used as a noun?

Responsable frequently functions as a noun in Spanish: el responsable del proyecto is the person in charge of the project, and buscan al responsable del robo means they're looking for the person responsible for the theft.

What is the noun form meaning responsibility?

The noun is responsabilidad, meaning responsibility. You can say asumir la responsabilidad (to take responsibility) or es una gran responsabilidad (it's a big responsibility) — it follows the same -ility to -idad pattern as many English-Spanish cognates.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

Responsible in Spanish: Responsable

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Responsable · adjective · rrehs-pohn-SAH-bleh

Responsable is a near-perfect cognate of responsible, used both as an adjective meaning dependable and as a noun meaning the person in charge or the one at fault. It works identically across Spain and Latin America.

rrehs-pohn-SAH-bleh

Ella es una persona muy responsable en su trabajo.

She is a very responsible person at her job.

Responsible in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for responsible, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
responsable	responsible	rrehs-pohn-SAH-bleh	Default, widely understood
encargado	responsible		person in charge
culpable	responsible		at fault, to blame

How Native Speakers Use Responsable

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Describing character

Mi hijo es bastante responsable para su edad.

My son is quite responsible for his age.

Praising dependability.

Assigning blame

¿Quién es el responsable de este desastre?

Who is responsible for this disaster?

Responsable as a noun meaning the person at fault.

Job duties

Soy la responsable del departamento de ventas.

I'm the one responsible for the sales department.

Used as a noun for the person in charge.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Responsable

Accenting the wrong syllable

Incorrect: Saying reh-SPON-sah-bleh

Correct: Saying rrehs-pohn-SAH-bleh

The stress falls on the third syllable SAH — mispronouncing it with English stress on SPON makes it harder for native speakers to parse.

Using responsable when culpable is clearer

Incorrect: Él es responsable del accidente. (ambiguous)

Correct: Él es culpable del accidente.

Responsable can mean both in charge and at fault — when assigning blame specifically, culpable removes ambiguity since it only means guilty or at fault.

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Why word lists alone don't stick

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See Responsable used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using responsable in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Ella es una persona muy responsable en su trabajo. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

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Common Questions About Responsible in Spanish

How do you say 'responsible' in Spanish?: The word is responsable, a cognate that covers all the main meanings of the English word — dependable, in charge, and at fault. It does not change form between masculine and feminine, only between singular and plural (responsables).
Can responsable be used as a noun?: Responsable frequently functions as a noun in Spanish: el responsable del proyecto is the person in charge of the project, and buscan al responsable del robo means they're looking for the person responsible for the theft.
What is the noun form meaning responsibility?: The noun is responsabilidad, meaning responsibility. You can say asumir la responsabilidad (to take responsibility) or es una gran responsabilidad (it's a big responsibility) — it follows the same -ility to -idad pattern as many English-Spanish cognates.