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pillado

pee-YAH-doh/piˈʎa.ðo/

caught, apprehended

Also: busted, trapped
A small, surprised fox is caught halfway inside a simple woven basket trap in a forest clearing, illustrating being discovered or trapped.
infinitivepillar
gerundpillando
past Participlepillado

📝 In Action

El ladrón fue pillado justo cuando salía de la tienda.

B1

The thief was caught just as he was leaving the store.

Estamos pillados en un atasco terrible en la autopista.

B2

We are trapped/stuck in a terrible traffic jam on the highway.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • ser pillado – to be caught
  • estar pillado – to be stuck/trapped

busted, caught out

Also: found out
AdjectivemB2informal
Spain
A small child standing precariously on a wooden chair, has their hand deep inside a large cookie jar and looks startled and guilty, having been discovered doing something bad.

📝 In Action

¡Te he pillado comiendo chocolate a escondidas!

B2

I busted you eating chocolate secretly!

Estaba totalmente pillado cuando supo que su secreto había sido revelado.

C1

He was totally caught out/shocked when he found out his secret had been revealed.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • pillar en la mentira – to catch in a lie

smitten, crushing

Also: hooked
AdjectivemC1slang
Spain
A young character with wide eyes and a dazed, dreamy expression, surrounded by three large, floating pink hearts, symbolizing being deeply attracted.

📝 In Action

Creo que estoy pillado por mi nuevo vecino. No puedo dejar de mirarlo.

C1

I think I'm crushing on my new neighbor. I can't stop looking at him.

Mi hermana está totalmente pillada por ese cantante famoso.

C1

My sister is totally smitten with that famous singer.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • enamorado (in love)
  • flechado (smitten (literally: 'arrowed'))

Common Collocations

  • estar pillado por alguien – to have a crush on someone

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pillado

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'pillado' in the slang sense of having a crush?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
pillar(to catch/grab) — Verb
pilla(sly/cunning person (Spain)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

'Pillado' is the past form of the verb 'pillar.' The verb 'pillar' has roots possibly derived from the Latin verb *pīlāre*, meaning 'to strike or pound.' In Spanish, it evolved to mean 'to grab' or 'to seize,' which explains all its modern meanings related to catching or being caught.

First recorded: Medieval Spanish (as 'pillar')

Cognates (Related words)

Catalan: pillar

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'pillado' instead of 'entendido' (understood)?

Yes, but only in very informal Spanish, especially in Spain. '¿Lo has pillado?' means 'Did you get/understand it?' It's best to stick to 'entender' or 'comprender' in formal settings.

Since it ends in -ado, is 'pillado' always an adjective?

'Pillado' is the past form of the verb 'pillar.' It acts as an adjective when describing a state ('Estoy pillado'), and it is used with the verb 'haber' (e.g., 'he pillado') to form perfect tenses, where it functions as the main verb form.