Inklingo

How to Say "blocked" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “blocked” is “bloqueado” — use 'bloqueado' when referring to a road, path, or even a digital user that is impassable or inaccessible..

English → Spanish

bloqueado

/blo-kay-AH-tho//blo.keˈa.ðo/

adjectiveA2general
Use 'bloqueado' when referring to a road, path, or even a digital user that is impassable or inaccessible.
A large gray boulder sitting in the middle of a narrow dirt road, preventing passage.

Examples

El acceso a la calle está bloqueado por el camión.

Access to the street is blocked by the truck.

Mi cuenta del banco está bloqueada y no puedo sacar dinero.

My bank account is frozen and I can't take out money.

He bloqueado a mi ex en todas las redes sociales.

I have blocked my ex on all social media.

Using with 'Estar'

Since being 'blocked' is usually a result of an action or a temporary state, we almost always use the verb 'estar' (to be) with this word.

Matching Gender

Remember to change the ending to 'bloqueada' if the thing you are describing is feminine, like 'la calle' (the street).

Frozen vs. Blocked

Mistake: “Using 'helado' for a frozen bank account.”

Correction: Use 'bloqueado' for digital or financial accounts; 'helado' is only for things that are cold like ice cream!

atascado

ah-tahs-KAH-doh/atasˈkaðo/

adjectiveA2general
Use 'atascado' when something, like a drain or a pipe, is physically clogged and preventing flow.
A bright red toy car buried deep in thick brown mud on a sunny day, unable to move its wheels.

Examples

El desagüe está completamente atascado y no pasa el agua.

The drain is completely clogged and the water won't go through.

Estuvimos atascados en el tráfico por dos horas.

We were stuck in traffic for two hours.

La puerta del coche se quedó atascada y no pude abrirla.

The car door got jammed and I couldn't open it.

Adjective from a Verb

This word is the 'past participle' of the verb 'atascar' (to clog or jam). It works like an adjective, describing the state of being clogged or stuck.

Using ESTAR

Because 'atascado' describes a temporary state (a pipe wasn't always clogged), it almost always pairs with the verb 'estar' (to be) to show that current condition: 'El tubo está atascado.'

Mixing up SER and ESTAR

Mistake: “El baño es atascado.”

Correction: El baño está atascado. (Use 'estar' because being stuck is a temporary state, not a permanent characteristic.)

Physical Flow vs. Access

Learners often confuse 'atascado' and 'bloqueado' when talking about things that are not moving. Remember, 'atascado' is for clogs that stop liquid or waste flow, like in a pipe. 'Bloqueado' is for general obstructions that prevent movement or access, like a blocked road.

Related Translations

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