Inklingo
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engañado

/en-ga-NYAH-doh/

deceived

A sad character standing next to a clearly fake, painted backdrop that was supposed to look like a real house, realizing they have been deceived.

The adjective engañado describes a person who has been deceived or tricked.

engañado(Adjective)

mB1

deceived

?

person or entity

,

tricked

?

person or entity

Also:

misled

?

by information or claims

,

fooled

?

by a joke or plot

📝 In Action

El cliente se sintió engañado por la publicidad falsa.

B1

The client felt deceived by the false advertising.

No seas tan engañado, esa historia no tiene sentido.

B2

Don't be so easily fooled, that story makes no sense.

Mi hermana está engañada sobre el valor de esas acciones.

B1

My sister is misled about the value of those shares.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • estafado (swindled)
  • burlado (mocked/made fun of)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • sentirse engañado – to feel deceived
  • vivir engañado – to live in denial

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective Agreement

When 'engañado' is used to describe a person or thing, it must change its ending to match (e.g., engañada for feminine singular, engañados for masculine plural).

Use with 'Estar'

We almost always use the verb estar (to be) with 'engañado' to describe the resulting state or feeling: Estamos engañados (We are deceived).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Ser'

Mistake: "Él es engañado."

Correction: Él está engañado. Use *estar* because being deceived is a state or condition, not a permanent characteristic.

A startled character looking disappointed at an empty birdcage, realizing they were tricked into believing there was a bird inside.

As a past participle, engañado is used with 'haber' (to have) to describe the action of having been deceived.

engañado(Past Participle)

A2

deceived

?

when used with 'haber' (to have)

,

tricked

?

when used with 'haber' (to have)

📝 In Action

Ellos han engañado al público durante años.

A2

They have deceived the public for years.

Nunca pensé que habría engañado a su propia familia.

B2

I never thought he would have tricked his own family.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • había engañado – had deceived (past perfect)
  • hemos engañado – we have deceived (present perfect)

💡 Grammar Points

Forming Perfect Tenses

This form (engañado) combines with the verb haber (to have) to describe actions completed in the past (e.g., ha engañado = he has deceived).

It Never Changes

When used with haber to form perfect tenses, the participle 'engañado' never changes its ending—it always stays 'engañado', regardless of who performed the action (e.g., Yo he engañado, Nosotras hemos engañado).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Changing the Ending with 'Haber'

Mistake: "Ellas han engañadas a todos."

Correction: Ellas han engañado a todos. The ending only changes when 'engañado' is used as a standalone adjective, not when it follows *haber*.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: engañado

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'engañado' as an adjective, meaning its ending must change to agree?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

engañar(to deceive/trick) - verb
el engaño(the deception/trick) - noun
engañador(deceiver/tricking (person)) - adjective/noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'Ella ha engañado' and 'Ella está engañada'?

'Ella ha engañado' uses the past participle with *haber* and means 'She has tricked (someone else)'. 'Ella está engañada' uses 'engañada' as an adjective with *estar* and means 'She is deceived' (someone else tricked her).

Does 'engañado' only refer to romantic cheating?

No. While it can be used for romantic betrayal, its most general meaning is 'tricked' or 'fooled' by lies, false advertising, bad deals, or general misinformation. The noun *engaño* refers to any form of deception.