privados

Privados is the plural masculine form of the adjective privado in Spanish and can also function as a noun meaning private individuals or private entities in certain contexts. It is commonly used in phrases that designate non‑governmental or non‑public actors, such as sector privado or propiedad privada, in contrast to the public sector or public property.

As an adjective, privado describes things that are not public or belong to private hands. It appears in expressions like sector privado, empresa privada, and propiedad privada. The feminine form is privada, and the feminine plural is privadas; adjectives agree with the noun they modify in gender and number.

As a noun, los privados can refer to private individuals or private entities—people or organizations not belonging to the state or public sector. The term is often used in contrast with the public sector (los públicos) or in discussions about private versus public rights, contracts between privados, or activities conducted outside government institutions.

Etymology and usage: privado derives from Latin privatus, meaning set apart or deprived of public status, through the Latin verb privare. In modern Spanish, the word covers legal, economic, and social contexts where private ownership, activity, or persons are distinguished from public or estatal alternatives. The term is neutral and widely used across formal and informal registers.