Informant vs Spy

Quand utiliser chacun en anglais, avec le sens, le registre et des exemples.

Informant

Au-delà de 10 000 (moins courant)

Spy

Au-delà de 10 000 (moins courant)C1noun
 InformantSpy
Prononciation🇬🇧 //ɪnˈfɔːmənt//🇺🇸 //ɪnˈfɔrmənt//🇬🇧 /["/spaɪ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/spaɪ/"]/
SensA person who gives information, especially to the police.A person who secretly watches or gathers information about others.
ExempleThe police relied on an informant to gather crucial evidence.The spy successfully infiltrated the enemy's headquarters to gather confidential information.
RegistreNeutreNeutre
FréquenceAu-delà de 10 000 (moins courant)Au-delà de 10 000 (moins courant)
Niveau CEFR-C1
Nature grammaticalenoun
Collocationspolice informant, anonymous informant, key informant, confidential informant, informant agreementenemy, foreign, government, network, act as, be, work as, infiltrate, film, movie, novel, spy for
Antonymes-friend, ally, supporter
Erreurs fréquentesConfused with 'informational' which refers to information-related., Using 'informant' to describe someone giving general information, not just in legal contexts.Confused with 'spying' as a noun vs adjective., Using 'spy' without an object (e.g., 'I spy' needs a target, like 'I spy a bird')., Using 'spy' in the past tense incorrectly (e.g., 'spied' is correct, not 'spied on').
Notes d'usageCommonly used in legal and police contexts. Be careful using it informally, as it can imply secrecy or betrayal.Use 'spy' in both informal and formal contexts. It can refer to espionage or simply watching someone closely. It's not appropriate in casual conversations unless joking.

Questions fréquentes : Informant vs Spy

Quelle est la différence entre Informant et Spy ?

Informant: A person who gives information, especially to the police. Spy: A person who secretly watches or gathers information about others.

Puis-je utiliser Informant et Spy de façon interchangeable ?

Pas toujours. Informant et Spy sont proches et se recoupent parfois, mais elles diffèrent par le registre, la fréquence et l'usage, donc remplacer l'une par l'autre peut changer le sens ou le ton. Regarde les différences ci-dessus avant de substituer.

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