Legal dictionary · Area 3 of 17
Civil Law & Obligations — EN · ES · IT.
55 terms from Civil Law & Obligations, each with its Spanish and Italian equivalent and a plain-language definition. Open any term for its own page.
Spanish and Italian private law is organised around a civil code and the law of obligations, categories that English-speaking lawyers meet only in fragments. Terms such as obligación/obbligazione, negocio jurídico/negozio giuridico or buena fe/buona fede carry precise, code-defined meanings that the nearest English words only approximate. When translating contracts and opinions from these systems, the certified translator keeps the structure of the source concept visible rather than forcing it into an American mould.
Obligation
ENObligation — A legal duty to do or refrain from doing something.
ESObligación
ITObbligazione
Performance
ENPerformance — The fulfilment of a contractual or legal obligation.
ESCumplimiento
ITAdempimento
Non-performance / Breach
ENNon-performance / Breach — Failure to fulfil an obligation.
ESIncumplimiento
ITInadempimento
Default / Delay
ENDefault / Delay — A debtor's wrongful delay in performing an obligation.
ESMora
ITMora
Set-off
ENSet-off — The cancelling of mutual debts between two parties.
ESCompensación
ITCompensazione
Assignment of claim
ENAssignment of claim — Transfer of a right to payment to a third party.
ESCesión de crédito
ITCessione del credito
Subrogation
ENSubrogation — Substitution of one party for another in a legal right.
ESSubrogación
ITSurrogazione / Surroga
Joint and several liability
ENJoint and several liability — Liability where each debtor is liable for the whole debt.
ESResponsabilidad solidaria
ITResponsabilità solidale
Guarantee / Surety
ENGuarantee / Surety — A promise to answer for another's debt or default.
ESFianza / Garantía
ITFideiussione / Garanzia
Lien / Charge
ENLien / Charge — A legal claim or encumbrance over property to secure a debt.
ESGravamen / Privilegio
ITPrivilegio / Vincolo
Capacity
ENCapacity — The legal ability to hold rights and undertake obligations.
ESCapacidad
ITCapacità giuridica / d'agire
Legal personality
ENLegal personality — Recognition of an entity as a subject of rights and duties.
ESPersonalidad jurídica
ITPersonalità giuridica
Natural person
ENNatural person — A human being as a subject of law.
ESPersona física / humana
ITPersona fisica
Legal person / Entity
ENLegal person / Entity — An organisation recognised as having legal rights.
ESPersona jurídica
ITPersona giuridica
Good faith
ENGood faith — Honest intention and fair dealing in legal relations.
ESBuena fe
ITBuona fede
Fraud
ENFraud — Deliberate deception to secure unfair or unlawful gain.
ESDolo / Fraude
ITDolo / Frode
Mistake / Error
ENMistake / Error — A false belief affecting the validity of an act.
ESError
ITErrore
Duress
ENDuress — Unlawful pressure compelling a person to act.
ESViolencia / Intimidación
ITViolenza morale
Undue influence
ENUndue influence — Improper exploitation of a position of power over another.
ESAprovechamiento indebido
ITApprofittamento / Circonvenzione
Voidability
ENVoidability — The condition of an act that may be annulled.
ESAnulabilidad
ITAnnullabilità
Rescission
ENRescission — Cancellation of a contract restoring parties to their prior state.
ESRescisión / Resolución
ITRescissione / Risoluzione
Unjust enrichment
ENUnjust enrichment — A gain obtained unfairly at another's expense.
ESEnriquecimiento sin causa
ITArricchimento senza causa
Negotiorum gestio
ENNegotiorum gestio — Managing another's affairs without their authorisation.
ESGestión de negocios ajenos
ITGestione di affari altrui
Prescription (acquisitive)
ENPrescription (acquisitive) — Acquiring ownership through long, continuous possession.
ESUsucapión / Prescripción adquisitiva
ITUsucapione
Restitution
ENRestitution — The return of property or value to its rightful owner.
ESRestitución
ITRestituzione
Solidarity (active/passive)
ENSolidarity (active/passive) — Shared rights or duties among multiple creditors or debtors.
ESSolidaridad activa/pasiva
ITSolidarietà attiva/passiva
Conditional obligation
ENConditional obligation — An obligation dependent on a future uncertain event.
ESObligación condicional
ITObbligazione condizionale
Term / Time obligation
ENTerm / Time obligation — An obligation due at or after a set time.
ESObligación a plazo
ITObbligazione a termine
Indemnity
ENIndemnity — Compensation for loss or a promise to cover another's liability.
ESIndemnización
ITIndennizzo / Manleva
Civil liability
ENCivil liability — The legal obligation to compensate for harm caused.
ESResponsabilidad civil
ITResponsabilità civile
Force majeure
ENForce majeure — An unforeseeable event excusing performance of an obligation.
ESFuerza mayor
ITForza maggiore
Act of God / Fortuitous event
ENAct of God / Fortuitous event — An unavoidable accident not caused by human fault.
ESCaso fortuito
ITCaso fortuito
Capacity to contract
ENCapacity to contract — The legal ability to enter into binding agreements.
ESCapacidad de contratar
ITCapacità di contrarre
Heir of obligations
ENHeir of obligations — A party who takes over another's rights and duties.
ESSucesor en las obligaciones
ITSuccessore nelle obbligazioni
Right (subjective)
ENRight (subjective) — A legally protected interest of a person.
ESDerecho subjetivo
ITDiritto soggettivo
Fungible goods
ENFungible goods — Goods interchangeable by weight, number or measure.
ESBienes fungibles
ITBeni fungibili
Defect of consent
ENDefect of consent — A flaw affecting valid agreement, e.g. error or fraud.
ESVicio del consentimiento
ITVizio del consenso
Simulation
ENSimulation — A sham act concealing the parties' true intent.
ESSimulación
ITSimulazione
Latent defect
ENLatent defect — A hidden flaw in a thing sold, not apparent on inspection.
ESVicio oculto / redhibitorio
ITVizio occulto
Tender of payment
ENTender of payment — A formal offer to perform an obligation.
ESOferta de pago / consignación
ITOfferta reale
Confusion (of rights)
ENConfusion (of rights) — Extinction of an obligation when debtor and creditor merge.
ESConfusión
ITConfusione
Remission of debt
ENRemission of debt — The creditor's voluntary release of a debt.
ESRemisión / condonación de deuda
ITRemissione del debito
Earnest / Down payment
ENEarnest / Down payment — A partial advance payment on an obligation.
ESAnticipo / Seña
ITAcconto
Other areas of the dictionary
- General & Procedural Law
- Court Personnel & Legal Professionals
- Contract Law
- Criminal Law & Procedure
- Tort / Civil Liability
- Property & Real Estate Law
- Family & Succession Law
- Commercial, Corporate & Company Law
- Constitutional & Administrative Law
- Labor / Employment Law
- Tax & Financial Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- Notarial, Apostille & Certification
- Latin Legal Terms & Maxims
- Immigration & Citizenship
- Banking, Insurance & Finance
- All areas — dictionary index
This page is for general orientation only. It is not legal advice and does not substitute for advice from licensed counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Terminology varies between countries and between civil-law and common-law systems; the equivalents shown here are the most common in cross-border practice.
Need a term translated in context?
Send the document or passage and the target jurisdiction. Carol will respond with a quote and a recommended approach — usually within one business day.
Request a quote →