inventado
/een-vehn-TAH-doh/
made up
When something is inventado, it means it is fictional or 'made up.'
inventado(adjective)
made up
?fictional or fabricated
,fake
?not real
fictitious
?story, character
,fabricated
?excuse, evidence
📝 In Action
Su coartada era completamente inventada.
B1His alibi was completely made up.
La noticia resultó ser inventada por un periódico sensacionalista.
B2The news turned out to be fake (invented) by a sensationalist newspaper.
No te creas ese rumor; es inventado.
A2Don't believe that rumor; it's fake.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjusting the Ending
As an adjective, 'inventado' must change its ending to match the noun it describes: 'inventada' (f.), 'inventados' (m. plural), 'inventadas' (f. plural).
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with 'Ser'
You almost always use 'inventado' with the verb 'ser' (to be) when you mean 'it is fake' or 'it is made up,' describing the inherent quality.
As a past participle, inventado describes something that has been 'invented' or created.
📝 In Action
El científico ha inventado un nuevo motor.
A1The scientist has invented a new engine.
Este aparato fue inventado en el siglo XIX.
B1This device was invented in the 19th century.
💡 Grammar Points
Forming Perfect Tenses
'Inventado' combines with the verb 'haber' (to have) to create perfect tenses: 'Yo he inventado', 'Tú has inventado', etc.
The Passive Voice
When used with 'ser' (to be), it describes an action being done to something: 'La rueda fue inventada' (The wheel was invented).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up Participles
Mistake: "Using 'tener' instead of 'haber' for compound tenses (e.g., *Yo tengo inventado*)."
Correction: Always use 'haber' (he, has, ha, hemos, etc.) when building perfect tenses: 'Yo he inventado'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Invariable in Perfect Tenses
When 'inventado' is used with 'haber' (as in 'he inventado'), the ending never changes, regardless of who is doing the inventing or what is being invented. It only changes when used with 'ser' in the passive voice (e.g., 'La máquina fue inventada').
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: inventado
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'inventado' as an adjective (meaning 'made up' or 'fake')?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'inventado' change its ending?
Yes, but only sometimes! When it acts like an adjective (meaning 'fake' or when used in the passive voice with 'ser'), it must match the noun (inventada, inventados, inventadas). But when it is used with the verb 'haber' to form perfect tenses ('he inventado'), the ending always stays as '-ado'.
What is the difference between 'inventado' and 'descubierto'?
'Inventado' means creating something entirely new that didn't exist before (like a plastic), while 'descubierto' (discovered) means finding something that already existed but was unknown (like a new continent).