grabado
/gra-BAH-doh/
recorded
Illustrating sound being captured and stored, representing 'recorded' (grabado).
grabado(Adjective)
recorded
?audio, video, data
,engraved
?carved onto a surface
etched
?art technique
,inscribed
?writing on an object
📝 In Action
El concierto está grabado en alta definición.
A2The concert is recorded in high definition.
Encontraron un mensaje grabado en la pared de la cueva.
B1They found a message engraved on the cave wall.
La canción ya fue grabada, solo falta publicarla.
A2The song has already been recorded; it just needs to be released.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Grabado' as an Adjective
Like many past participles, 'grabado' can act as a descriptive word. Remember to match its ending to the thing it describes: 'La película grabada' (The recorded movie, feminine) vs. 'El audio grabado' (The recorded audio, masculine).
Forming Perfect Tenses
'Grabado' is also the form used with the verb 'haber' (to have) to create perfect tenses: 'Hemos grabado un podcast' (We have recorded a podcast).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up 'Grabado' and 'Grabar'
Mistake: "Yo grabado la canción."
Correction: Yo grabé la canción. ('Grabado' is the past form, not the simple past tense verb itself.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Technology Context
When talking about technology, 'grabado' is the standard way to say something is recorded, captured, or burned (onto a CD/DVD).
This detailed piece of art carved into metal represents an 'engraving' (grabado).
grabado(Noun)
engraving
?a piece of art created by etching or carving
,an artistic reproduction
etching
?specific art technique
📝 In Action
El museo exhibe una colección de grabados de Goya.
B2The museum exhibits a collection of Goya's prints/engravings.
Este grabado antiguo vale miles de euros.
B1This old engraving is worth thousands of euros.
💡 Grammar Points
A Piece of Art
When 'grabado' refers to the artwork itself, it is always a masculine noun: 'un grabado' (an engraving).
⭐ Usage Tips
Art Terminology
Use this noun form when discussing printmaking, fine art, or historical techniques of transferring images from a carved plate to paper.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: grabado
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'grabado' to refer to a piece of art?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
If 'grabado' means 'recorded,' how do I say 'I recorded'?
You would use the simple past tense of the verb 'grabar': 'Yo grabé' (I recorded). 'Grabado' is only used with 'haber' (e.g., 'Yo he grabado' - I have recorded) or as a descriptive word (adjective).
Is 'grabado' only for audio and video?
No! It is also used for physical carving or etching. If you carve initials into a tree, those initials are 'grabadas' in the wood. The core meaning is fixing something permanently onto a surface.