echado
/eh-CHAH-doh/
lying down
Echado describes a physical position, like a dog that is lying down.
echado(Adjective)
lying down
?physical position
,stretched out
?relaxed posture
reclining
?formal synonym
📝 In Action
El gato siempre está echado al sol en la ventana.
A2The cat is always lying down in the sun on the window.
Después de la comida, mi abuelo se queda echado en el sillón.
B1After lunch, my grandfather stays stretched out on the armchair.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Echado' as an Adjective
When used to describe how someone is positioned, 'echado' must match the person or thing you're describing in gender and number: echado (m. singular), echada (f. singular), echados (m. plural), echadas (f. plural).
Estar vs. Ser
Always use 'estar' (to be, temporary state) with this meaning, as it describes the current position: 'El niño está echado' (The boy is lying down).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Agreement Error
Mistake: "La niña está echado."
Correction: La niña está echada. Remember to match the ending to the subject: '-a' for feminine, '-o' for masculine.
When someone is echado, it can mean they are lazy or unwilling to work.
echado(Adjective)
lazy
?unwilling to work
,idle
?inactive
negligent
?figurative, often used critically
📝 In Action
Es muy echado y nunca ayuda con las tareas de la casa.
B1He is very lazy and never helps with the housework.
Si eres tan echado, nunca terminarás el proyecto a tiempo.
B2If you are so idle/lazy, you will never finish the project on time.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Meaning
This meaning is figurative, suggesting someone is 'laid down' or 'cast aside' due to their unwillingness to act. It is used with the verb 'ser' (to be, permanent quality) when describing a character trait.
⭐ Usage Tips
Informal Warning
Use this meaning primarily in casual conversation, as it can be slightly insulting. It’s often softened by using the diminutive: echadito.
As a past participle, echado can mean 'thrown,' describing an object in motion after being tossed.
echado(Past Participle)
thrown
?to throw something
,put
?to place or add something
poured
?liquids
,cast
?to cast a spell or a net
📝 In Action
Ya hemos echado la carta al buzón.
A1We have already put/thrown the letter in the mailbox.
Ella había echado demasiada azúcar al café.
B1She had poured/put too much sugar in the coffee.
💡 Grammar Points
Forming Perfect Tenses
'Echado' is combined with forms of the helping verb 'haber' (to have) to create perfect tenses like the present perfect ('he echado', I have thrown/put) and past perfect ('había echado', I had thrown/put).
Use in Passive Voice
It can also be combined with the verb 'ser' (to be) to show that an action was done to someone or something: 'El balón fue echado fuera' (The ball was thrown out).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Echar and Hacer
Mistake: "Some learners confuse 'echar' (to throw/put) with 'hacer' (to do/make)."
Correction: Remember that 'echado' is only the participle of 'echar'. The participle of 'hacer' is 'hecho'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: echado
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'echado' to describe a personality trait rather than a physical position?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'echado' an irregular verb form?
No. 'Echar' is a regular '-ar' verb, and 'echado' is its regular past participle (ending in -ado). It is used regularly to form compound tenses.
What is the difference between 'estar echado' and 'estar acostado'?
Both mean 'lying down.' 'Estar acostado' usually specifically implies lying down in a bed or going to sleep. 'Estar echado' is more general and can mean stretched out on a sofa, the floor, or the grass.