ocupados
“ocupados” means “busy” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
busy, engaged
Also: preoccupied
📝 In Action
Mis padres están ocupados con el jardín este fin de semana.
A1My parents are busy with the garden this weekend.
No podemos hablar ahora, los técnicos están ocupados en una reunión.
A2We can't talk now, the technicians are engaged in a meeting.
occupied, taken
Also: filled
📝 In Action
Todos los puestos de trabajo estaban ocupados por nuevos empleados.
B1All the job positions were occupied by new employees.
Lo siento, esos asientos ya están ocupados.
A2I'm sorry, those seats are already taken.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "ocupados" in Spanish:
filled→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: ocupados
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'ocupados' to mean 'busy'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the Latin verb *occupāre*, which meant 'to seize' or 'to take possession of.' This core idea is still present, as being 'ocupado' means your time or space has been taken up.
First recorded: Around the 13th century in Spanish.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'ocupados' end in -os?
It is the plural masculine form. It must be used when describing two or more masculine people or things, or a mixed group of men and women. If you were describing a group of women, you would use 'ocupadas.'
Is 'ocupado' always used with 'estar'?
Almost always, yes. Since 'being busy' or 'being taken' is a temporary state, we use 'estar.' You would only use 'ser' if you were talking about the permanent state of a place being occupied, usually in a historical or passive context, like 'Esos territorios eran ocupados por el ejército.'