causales

Causales is a plural form used in Spanish to refer to grounds, causes or factors that justify or explain a result. The term derives from causa, meaning cause, and the suffix -al, which yields an adjective, while causales in noun use is common in formal or technical language. In everyday Spanish, causales is less frequent than causas, but it appears in specialized registers, especially legal and academic.

In general usage, causales can denote the reasons behind an event or decision, often in a systematic or enumerated way. The word is more common in contexts that require listing or classifying grounds, such as rules, norms or procedures. When used as a noun, causales function similarly to “grounds” or “causal factors,” though in many cases speakers prefer causas or factores causales.

In legal contexts, causales plays a prominent role. Legal codes and administrative texts frequently refer to causales de nulidad, causales de terminación, causales de responsabilidad, and other enumerated grounds that justify a particular legal consequence. For example, a contract may be rescinded “por causales de incumplimiento grave,” meaning it is terminated for serious breach.

In philosophy and science, the preferred term for “causal factors” is often factores causales or simply causas, with causales appearing mainly in formal or technical discussions that touch on grounds for an assertion or decision. Causales are thus part of the broader study of causation, alongside causalidad and related concepts.

See also: causa, causalidad, factor causal, causalidad.