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How to Say "burned" in Spanish

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quemado

/keh-MAH-doh//keˈmaðo/

past participleA2general
Use 'quemado' as the past participle after the auxiliary verb 'haber' to form perfect tenses, indicating something has been burned.
A single, spent wooden matchstick lying down. The tip is blackened and charred, showing the past action of having been burned.

Examples

Hemos quemado toda la basura vieja.

We have burned all the old trash.

Ella ya había quemado esa etapa de su vida.

She had already burned that stage of her life (figurative: finished it).

Perfect Tenses

This form is used with the verb 'haber' (to have done something) to create compound tenses, like the present perfect ('he quemado', I have burned).

Using 'Tener' instead of 'Haber'

Mistake: “Tengo quemado el pan.”

Correction: He quemado el pan. 'Tener' means 'to possess,' while 'haber' is the auxiliary verb needed to form perfect tenses.

quemó

verbB1general
Use 'quemó' (the preterite tense of 'quemar') when the subject directly performed the action of destroying by fire or intense heat.

Examples

El incendio quemó la casa entera.

The fire burned the whole house.

Participle vs. Verb Tense

The most common mistake is using 'quemado' as a main verb instead of 'quemar' (or its conjugated forms like 'quemó'). Remember, 'quemado' functions as a participle, typically needing 'haber' to form a complete verb phrase, while 'quemó' is a complete verb in the past tense.

Related Translations

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