A child attempting to push a large square wooden block into a small round hole on a shape-sorter toy board, illustrating a clear mistake or incorrect action.

equivocada

eh-kee-voh-KAH-dah

AdjectivefA2regular ar

mistaken?referring to a person's belief or action,wrong?referring to an answer or direction

Also:incorrect?referring to data or information

📝 In Action

Creo que tu amiga está equivocada sobre la hora de la reunión.

I think your friend is mistaken about the time of the meeting.

La dirección que escribiste en el sobre está equivocada.

The address you wrote on the envelope is wrong.

Si piensas que es fácil, estás equivocada. Necesitas más práctica.

If you think it's easy, you are wrong. You need more practice.

Word Connections

Synonyms

errónea (erroneous)
incorrecta (incorrect)

Antonyms

correcta (correct)
acertada (accurate)

Common Collocations

estar equivocada – to be mistaken
la decisión equivocada – the wrong decision

💡 Grammar Points

Feminine Agreement

Since this word ends in '-a', it is the feminine form. Use it only when describing feminine nouns (like 'mujer', 'idea', 'respuesta').

State vs. Identity (Estar)

Almost always use 'estar' (to be) with 'equivocada' because it describes the temporary state of having made a mistake, not a permanent quality of the person.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Masculine Form

Mistake: "La niña es equivocado."

Correction: La niña está equivocada. Remember to match the ending to the subject (niña is feminine, so use -a).

⭐ Usage Tips

Polite Correction

To politely correct someone, you can say: 'Creo que estás equivocada' (I think you are mistaken) before offering the correct information.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: equivocada

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'equivocada'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

equivocar(to make a mistake (verb)) - verb

equivocación(mistake (noun)) - noun

equivocado(mistaken (masculine form)) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'equivocada' and 'mal'?

'Equivocada' is an adjective that describes a person, idea, or thing as being incorrect (e.g., 'La hora está equivocada'). 'Mal' is usually an adverb meaning 'badly' or 'poorly' (e.g., 'Canta mal' - She sings badly), though it can also be an adjective meaning 'bad' when placed before a noun.

Can I use 'ser' instead of 'estar' with 'equivocada'?

Using 'ser' (Ella es equivocada) is technically possible but sounds very unnatural and literary. It would imply that being wrong is a permanent, defining characteristic of the person, which is rarely what you mean. Always stick to 'estar' (Ella está equivocada) to mean someone has made a mistake.