Quick answer
Infligir imposes harm. Infringir breaks a rule.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
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What each word does
infligir
to inflict
Use infligir for imposing punishment, damage, pain, or loss on someone.
infringir
to violate
Use infringir for breaking a law, rule, regulation, or right.
How to choose
- infligir: Choose infligir if the sentence points to imposing punishment, damage, pain, or loss on someone.
- infringir: Choose infringir if the sentence points to breaking a law, rule, regulation, or right.
Examples
A decisao infligiu prejuizos.
The decision inflicted losses.
A empresa infringiu a lei.
The company violated the law.
Common trap
If there is a law or rule, think infringir. If there is pain or punishment, think infligir.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with infligir, then once with infringir. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
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