Can You Criticize Judges? Spain's Free Speech Debate

Key vocabulary

• viñetaf.

  cartoon, illustration

  “La viñeta es muy divertida.”— The cartoon is very funny.

  Pattern una viñeta cómica a funny comic strip

  Compare caricatura cartoon

  plural viñetas

  💡 Refers to a small comic strip in newspapers, often satirical.

• criticarv.

  to criticize, to fault

  “No me gusta criticar a los demás.”— I don't like to criticize others.

  Pattern criticar a alguien to criticize someone

  Compare censurar to blame

  yo critico, tú criticas, él critica

  💡 From Latin criticare, note the stress on ca.

• juezm./f.

  judge

  “El juez toma una decisión.”— The judge makes a decision.

  Pattern el juez del tribunal court judge

  Compare magistrado judge

  plural jueces

  💡 Note the plural change: z to c, add es.

• democraciaf.

  democracy

  “La democracia protege los derechos.”— Democracy protects rights.

  Pattern en una democracia in a democracy

  plural democracias

  💡 From Greek demos (people) + kratos (power).

• libertadf.

  freedom, liberty

  “La libertad es importante.”— Freedom is important.

  Pattern libertad de expresión freedom of speech

  Compare independencia independence

  plural libertades

  💡 From Latin libertas, note the ending -tad.

• expresiónf.

  expression, speech

  “La expresión de ideas es un derecho.”— The expression of ideas is a right.

  Pattern libertad de expresión freedom of speech

  Compare manifestación expression

  plural expresiones

  💡 From the verb expresar (to express).

• peligrosoadj.

  dangerous

  “Criticar a los jueces es peligroso.”— Criticizing judges is dangerous.

  Pattern es peligroso is dangerous

  Compare riesgoso risky

  feminine peligrosa, plural peligrosos

  💡 From the noun peligro (danger).

• necesarioadj.

  necessary

  “Es necesario pensar.”— It is necessary to think.

  Pattern es necesario is necessary

  Compare imprescindible indispensable

  feminine necesaria, plural necesarios

  💡 From Latin necessarius.

• dibujantem./f.

  cartoonist, illustrator

  “Los dibujantes trabajan mucho.”— Cartoonists work a lot.

  Pattern dibujante de cómics comic artist

  Compare ilustrador illustrator

  plural dibujantes

  💡 From the verb dibujar (to draw).

• opinarv.

  to express an opinion, to think

  “¿Qué opinas sobre esto?”— What do you think about this?

  Pattern ¿Qué opinas? What do you think?

  Compare pensar to think

  yo opino, tú opinas, él opina

  💡 From the noun opinión (opinion).

Grammar spotlight

Sentence patterns to steal

• En una democracia, la libertad de expresión es un derecho fundamental.

  In a democracy, freedom of speech is a fundamental right.

  En + place/situation, + subject + ser + noun phraseYou can replace the place and subject, e.g. En España, la educación es un derecho.

• Pero algunos dicen que criticar a los jueces es peligroso.

  But some say that criticizing judges is dangerous.

  Algunos dicen que + clauseYou can replace the clause, e.g. Algunos dicen que es necesario.

• Los dibujantes quieren que pensemos.

  The cartoonists want us to think.

  Subject + querer que + subjunctiveYou can replace the subject and the verb in the dependent clause, e.g. El profesor quiere que estudiemos.