criado
“criado” means “raised” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
raised, brought up
Also: bred
📝 In Action
Fui criado en el campo, por eso amo la naturaleza.
A2I was raised in the countryside, that's why I love nature.
Los cachorros fueron criados sin su madre.
B1The puppies were raised without their mother.
Ella es una mujer muy bien criada, con excelentes modales.
B2She is a very well brought up woman, with excellent manners.
servant, manservant
Also: attendant
📝 In Action
El criado de la casa trajo el té a la sala.
B1The manservant of the house brought the tea to the living room.
Llamó a su criado para que le preparara el caballo.
C1He called his servant to prepare his horse for him.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: criado
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'criado' as a noun (a person)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *creare*, meaning 'to create' or 'to produce.' In Spanish, this evolved into *criar* (to raise/nurture), and *criado* is the form of that verb used to mean 'the person who was raised/nurtured' (which led to the meaning 'servant').
First recorded: Medieval Spanish
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
If 'criado' means 'raised,' why does it also mean 'servant'?
Historically, a 'criado' was often a child who was literally 'raised' within the household of a wealthy family, often starting work there from a young age. The meaning evolved from 'the one who was raised' to 'the domestic worker.'
Is 'criado' an offensive word today?
While the word is not inherently offensive, it sounds formal and old-fashioned. In many Spanish-speaking areas, people prefer neutral terms like 'empleado doméstico' (domestic employee) or 'ayudante' (helper) when referring to domestic staff.