retirado
/reh-tee-RAH-doh/
retired
As an adjective, retirado means "retired," describing someone who has finished their working career.
📝 In Action
Mi abuelo es un hombre felizmente retirado.
A2My grandfather is a happily retired man.
Ella está retirada desde hace cinco años.
B1She has been retired for five years.
Los profesores retirados organizaron un viaje.
B1The retired teachers organized a trip.
💡 Grammar Points
Agreement is Key
Like many Spanish adjectives, 'retirado' must match the person it describes in both gender (o/a) and number (s/es). If you describe a woman, use 'retirada'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'Estar'
You almost always use the verb 'estar' (to be) with 'retirado' to describe someone's current state: 'Mi madre está retirada.' (My mother is retired.)
As a noun, un/una retirado/a means a "retiree," a person who has retired.
📝 In Action
Los retirados tienen descuentos especiales en el cine.
B1Retirees get special discounts at the cinema.
Mi vecino es un retirado del ejército.
B2My neighbor is an army retiree.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective to Noun
In Spanish, it's very common to take an adjective (like 'retired') and use it as a noun to mean 'the person who is that way' (the retiree). The feminine form is 'la retirada'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Using Articles
Make sure to use the correct article (el/la/los/las) when using this word as a noun: 'El retirado compró un coche nuevo.'
When referring to a location, retirado means "remote" or isolated.
📝 In Action
Compraron una casa en un lugar muy retirado de la ciudad.
B2They bought a house in a very remote place far from the city.
El monasterio estaba retirado en las montañas y era difícil llegar.
C1The monastery was secluded in the mountains and difficult to reach.
💡 Grammar Points
Describing Distance
This meaning emphasizes physical distance or separation. It means the place has been 'pulled back' or 'withdrawn' from others.
⭐ Usage Tips
Figurative Use
While primarily for places, you can describe a shy person as 'retirado' if they are socially withdrawn, but this usage is less common than describing locations.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: retirado
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'retirado' to mean 'remote'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'retirado' and 'jubilado'?
They mean almost the same thing ('retired'). 'Jubilado' specifically emphasizes receiving a pension (la jubilación) and is slightly more common in Spain. 'Retirado' is broader and means simply having left one's career, and is very common across Latin America.
Is 'retirado' a verb or an adjective?
'Retirado' is the past participle of the verb 'retirar' (to withdraw, to retire). Because it's a past participle, it works most often as an adjective ('a retired person') or combines with 'haber' to form perfect verb tenses (e.g., 'ha retirado' - he has withdrawn).