equivocado
“equivocado” means “wrong” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
wrong
Also: mistaken
📝 In Action
Creo que estás equivocado. La reunión es mañana.
A2I think you're wrong. The meeting is tomorrow.
Tomé el autobús equivocado y llegué tarde.
B1I took the wrong bus and arrived late.
Marcaste el número de teléfono equivocado.
A2You dialed the wrong phone number.
mistaken
📝 In Action
Me he equivocado de calle.
B1I have taken the wrong street.
Creo que te has equivocado al juzgarla tan rápido.
B2I think you have made a mistake in judging her so quickly.
Nunca antes me había equivocado en un examen.
B2I had never made a mistake on an exam before.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: equivocado
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says 'Maria is wrong'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'aequivocus', which is a combination of 'aequus' (equal) and 'vox' (voice). The original idea was of having an 'equal voice' for two different meanings, which could lead to ambiguity and, eventually, error.
First recorded: Around the 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'estar equivocado' and 'equivocarse'?
They are very similar! 'Estar equivocado' describes the state of being wrong (e.g., 'Estoy equivocado' - 'I am mistaken'). 'Equivocarse' is the action of making the mistake (e.g., 'Me equivoqué' - 'I made a mistake'). Think of it as the state vs. the action.
Can I say 'es equivocado'?
It's very rare to use 'ser' with 'equivocado' when talking about a person. However, you might hear it when talking about an idea or action in general, like 'Es equivocado pensar así' ('It is wrong to think that way'). For beginners, it's safest to always stick with 'estar' when describing a person as wrong.