Negligence — in Spanish and Italian.

Definition

Failure to exercise reasonable care, causing harm.

Spanish and Italian equivalents

In Spanish, Negligence is rendered as Negligencia / Culpa; in Italian, as Negligenza / Colpa. Spanish usage admits more than one form (Negligencia / Culpa); the choice depends on the country and on the type of document. Italian likewise admits more than one form (Negligenza / Colpa), with the choice driven by the document type and context. Spanish equivalents follow Argentine (Rioplatense) usage where it differs from European Spanish. In a certified translation the equivalent is chosen for the target jurisdiction; where the concept has no exact counterpart, the source term is kept alongside a functional explanation.

Translating Tort / Civil Liability terminology

English "tort" has no single-word counterpart: Spanish speaks of responsabilidad civil extracontractual and Italian of responsabilità extracontractuale or fatto illecito, both defined by a general clause of the civil code rather than by a catalogue of named torts. Concepts such as negligence, damages (compensatory versus punitive, which most civil-law courts refuse to award) and strict liability therefore need careful handling in certified translations of claims, insurance correspondence and judgments.

Related terms in Tort / Civil Liability

• Tort / Wrongful act — Hecho ilícito / Acto ilícito
• Fault — Culpa
• Damage / Harm — Daño
• Material damage — Daño patrimonial / material
• Non-material / Moral damage — Daño moral
• Personal injury — Daño a la persona / lesiones
• Loss of profit — Lucro cesante
• Actual loss — Daño emergente
• Causation — Nexo causal / Relación de causalidad
• Liability — Responsabilidad
• Strict liability — Responsabilidad objetiva
• Vicarious liability — Responsabilidad por el hecho ajeno
• Product liability — Responsabilidad por productos
• Professional liability — Responsabilidad profesional / mala praxis
• Compensation / Damages — Indemnización / Resarcimiento
• Restitution in kind — Reparación en especie
• Contributory fault — Culpa concurrente
• Mitigation of damages — Mitigación del daño
• Nuisance — Molestias / Inmisiones
• Defamation (civil) — Difamación (civil)
• Dangerous activity — Actividad riesgosa / peligrosa
• Liability for things in custody — Responsabilidad por las cosas / el riesgo
• Punitive / Exemplary damages — Daños punitivos
• Joint tortfeasors — Coautores / Responsables solidarios

Browse the full Tort / Civil Liability area, return to the dictionary index, or search all 712 terms in the interactive dictionary (also available as a PDF).

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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.