desaparecida
/deh-sah-pah-reh-SEE-dah/
missing person (female)
As a noun, 'desaparecida' refers to a missing person who is female.
desaparecida(noun)
missing person (female)
?General reference
victim of forced disappearance (female)
?Political/Human Rights context
📝 In Action
La policía emitió una alerta por la desaparición de la joven. Ahora es oficialmente una desaparecida.
B2The police issued an alert for the young woman's disappearance. She is now officially a missing person.
Cada 30 de agosto, las familias recuerdan a sus desaparecidas y exigen justicia.
C1Every August 30th, families remember their disappeared loved ones (women) and demand justice.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Match
Since this is a noun referring to a woman, it is always feminine. If you were talking about a missing man, you would use the masculine form, 'el desaparecido'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
While it literally means 'missing person,' in many Spanish-speaking countries, especially Argentina and Chile, this word carries a heavy historical meaning related to victims of political repression.
Used as an adjective, 'desaparecida' means missing or absent.
desaparecida(adjective)
missing
?General status
vanished
?Completely gone
,disappeared
?Past tense description
📝 In Action
La llave de la casa estaba desaparecida, tuvimos que buscarla por toda la sala.
A2The house key was missing; we had to search for it all over the living room.
Ella regresó después de una semana desaparecida en el bosque.
B1She returned after a week vanished in the forest.
💡 Grammar Points
Agreement is Essential
As an adjective, 'desaparecida' must match the noun it describes in gender (feminine) and number (singular). For a masculine or plural noun, you must change the ending (e.g., 'los documentos desaparecidos').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing Genders
Mistake: "La documento desaparecida."
Correction: El documento desaparecido. Remember that 'documento' is masculine, even though it ends in 'o'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Past Participle Origin
This word comes from the past form of the verb 'desaparecer' (to disappear). It describes the result or state of having vanished.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: desaparecida
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'desaparecida' as a noun?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'desaparecida' the same as 'perdida'?
They are similar, but not exactly the same. 'Perdida' means 'lost' (like a lost wallet or a child who wandered off). 'Desaparecida' means 'vanished' and often implies a more sudden, unexplained, or serious departure, such as a kidnapping or forced disappearance.