Meaning
criminal
In a sentence
La polizia ha preso il criminale ieri sera.
The police caught the criminal last night.
Pensi davvero che lui sia un criminale?
Do you really think he is a criminal?
Non sembra un criminale, parla con calma.
He doesn't seem like a criminal, he speaks calmly.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| criminale | masculine · singular |
| criminali | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Criminale can be both a noun and an adjective: un criminale, but diritto penale e non diritto criminale in standard Italian.
- For a specific offense, Italian often prefers ladro, assassino, truffatore, etc. Criminale is broader and less precise.
- As an adjective, criminale can also mean outrageously bad or excessive in speech: un ritardo criminale.