penalizar

Penalizar is a Spanish verb meaning to impose a penalty or sanction on someone for a fault or infraction. It is used in legal, administrative, and regulatory contexts, as well as in everyday language, to indicate that conduct is subject to punishment or sanctions.

Originates from pena (penalty) with the suffix -izar, formed in analogy with other verbs ending in -izar. The related noun is penalización; the adjective penal relates to punishment and penalties.

In law and administration, penalizar refers to the act of imposing sanctions such as fines, suspensions, disqualifications, or other penalties. It can also describe the act of deeming a conduct punishable. In everyday speech, it can describe policies or measures that penalize a behavior or person; the object is the penalized subject or conduct, not the penalty itself.

Penalizar is a regular -ar verb. Present: penalizo, penalizas, penaliza, penalizamos, penalizáis, penalizan. Other common forms include preterite: penalicé, penalizaste, penalizó; imperfect: penalizaba; subjunctive present: penalice; gerund: penalizando; past participle: penalizado.

See also: sanción, castigo, penalización. Variants and nuances can vary by dialect, but the core idea remains the application of a penalty or sanction to a person or conduct.