trabajado
/trah-bah-HAH-doh/
worked
Visualizing trabajado as the completed action of labor, like a farmer who has successfully worked their field.
trabajado(verb)
worked
?as a verb form, 'I have worked'
labored
?formal or literary usage
📝 In Action
Hemos trabajado todo el día en este proyecto.
A1We have worked all day on this project.
¿Alguna vez has trabajado en un hospital?
A2Have you ever worked in a hospital?
Ella había trabajado como profesora antes de mudarse.
B1She had worked as a teacher before moving.
💡 Grammar Points
Forming Perfect Tenses
To talk about actions completed in the past using 'have worked,' pair 'trabajado' with the verb 'haber' (to have). Example: 'He trabajado' (I have worked).
Always Ends in -o
When used with 'haber' to form tenses, the past participle 'trabajado' never changes its ending. It always stays '-ado', regardless of who did the work.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Haber' and 'Tener'
Mistake: "Using 'Tengo trabajado' instead of 'He trabajado'."
Correction: In Spanish, use 'haber' (he, has, ha, etc.) to create compound verb tenses like 'I have worked.' Reserve 'tener' for possession (I have a car).
⭐ Usage Tips
Easy to Conjugate
Since 'trabajar' is a regular verb, forming 'trabajado' is easy: just drop the '-ar' and add '-ado'. This pattern works for thousands of Spanish verbs!
Depicting trabajado as something elaborate and intricate, like an antique box with detailed craftsmanship.
trabajado(adjective)
elaborate
?design, plan, or piece of art
,detailed
?something complex or intricate
well-crafted
?referring to an object or creation
,painstaking
?describing effort put into something
📝 In Action
El diseño de la joya era muy trabajado y complejo.
B1The design of the jewelry was very elaborate and complex.
Presentaron un informe muy trabajado sobre la economía.
B2They presented a very detailed report on the economy.
La trama de la novela está muy trabajada.
C1The plot of the novel is very well-crafted (or detailed).
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Agreement
When used as an adjective, 'trabajado' must match the noun it describes. Use 'trabajada' for feminine singular nouns (e.g., 'una estrategia trabajada').
Meaning with 'Ser' vs. 'Estar'
It usually pairs with 'ser' (to be permanent) to describe the inherent quality of being elaborate or complex: 'La escultura es trabajada.' (The sculpture is elaborate).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: trabajado
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'trabajado' as an adjective meaning 'detailed' or 'elaborate'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'trabajado' always masculine?
No. When used as a past participle to form verb tenses (like 'I have worked'), it always stays 'trabajado.' But when it acts as a descriptive adjective (meaning 'elaborate' or 'detailed'), it must change to 'trabajada' if the noun is feminine (e.g., 'una obra trabajada').
What is the difference between 'trabajado' and 'trabajando'?
'Trabajado' is the past form, used to talk about actions that finished or happened ('worked'). 'Trabajando' is the present continuous form ('working'), used to talk about actions happening right now or continuously ('Estoy trabajando' - I am working).