despertado
des-per-TAH-doh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
El bebé se ha despertado dos veces esta noche.
B1The baby has woken up twice tonight.
Ella había despertado al perro con su canto.
B2She had woken the dog up with her singing.
Si hubieras despertado más temprano, habríamos llegado a tiempo.
C1If you had woken up earlier, we would have arrived on time.
💡 Grammar Points
Forming Perfect Tenses
This form ('despertado') is always used with the verb 'haber' (to have) to create perfect tenses, such as the present perfect ('ha despertado') or the pluperfect ('había despertado').
Regular Ending
Even though the base verb 'despertar' changes its stem in the present tense (e.g., 'yo despierto'), its past participle is completely regular, simply adding the '-ado' ending.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Past Participle and Adjective
Mistake: "Using 'despertado' as an adjective (e.g., 'El niño está despertado')."
Correction: Use the irregular adjective form 'despierto' instead: 'El niño está despierto' (The child is awake).
⭐ Usage Tips
Transitive vs. Reflexive
To say 'I woke someone else up,' use the direct form: 'He despertado a mi hermano.' To say 'I woke up myself,' use the reflexive form 'despertarse': 'Me he despertado temprano.'
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: despertado
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'despertado'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'despertado' the same as 'despierto'?
No. 'Despertado' is the fixed form used after the verb 'haber' to talk about a completed action ('He despertado' - I have woken up). 'Despierto' is the adjective used after the verb 'estar' to describe a current state ('Estoy despierto' - I am awake).
Does 'despertado' change its ending?
Yes, but only when used as an adjective (which is rare, as 'despierto' is preferred). When used to form perfect tenses (with 'haber'), it never changes. For example, 'Ellos han despertado' (They have woken up) uses the masculine singular form regardless of who 'they' are.