How to Say "busy" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “busy” is “ocupado” — use 'ocupado' when referring to a person or their schedule being filled with activities or tasks..
ocupado
/oh-koo-PAH-doh//okuˈpaðo/
Examples
Lo siento, no puedo ir al cine, estoy muy ocupado.
I'm sorry, I can't go to the movies, I'm very busy.
Ella es una doctora muy ocupada, siempre tiene pacientes.
She is a very busy doctor, she always has patients.
Nos mantuvimos ocupados todo el fin de semana con la mudanza.
We kept ourselves busy all weekend with the move.
Always Use with 'Estar'
When you say someone is busy, you're talking about their current state or condition, which can change. For this, always use the verb 'estar'. So, you say 'estoy ocupado' (I am busy), not 'soy ocupado'.
Matching the Person
This word must change to match the person you're talking about. Use 'ocupado' for a man, 'ocupada' for a woman, 'ocupados' for a group of men or a mixed group, and 'ocupadas' for a group of women.
Confusing 'Ocupado' and 'Preocupado'
Mistake: “Estoy muy preocupado con el trabajo, tengo muchas reuniones.”
Correction: Estoy muy ocupado con el trabajo, tengo muchas reuniones. 'Ocupado' means busy, while 'preocupado' sounds similar but means worried.
activo
ahk-TEE-voh/akˈti.βo/
Examples
Mi abuelo todavía es muy activo y hace ejercicio todos los días.
My grandfather is still very active and exercises every day.
Necesitamos un plan activo para resolver el problema rápidamente.
We need an active plan to solve the problem quickly.
Ella es una ciudadana muy activa en su comunidad.
She is a very active citizen in her community.
Adjective Agreement
Remember that 'activo' must match the thing it describes. If you are describing a female noun (like 'persona'), use 'activa'. If it's plural (like 'niños'), use 'activos'.
Confusing Form
Mistake: “La persona está activo.”
Correction: La persona está activa. (Always match the gender of the noun.)
movido
moh-VEE-doh/moˈβi.ðo/
Examples
Fue una noche muy movida en el centro de la ciudad.
It was a very lively/busy night in the city center.
Tuvimos un mes de trabajo muy movido antes de las vacaciones.
We had a very busy month of work before the holidays.
La película era muy movida y llena de acción.
The movie was very action-packed and full of excitement.
Adjective Agreement
Like all Spanish adjectives, 'movido' must match the thing it describes in both gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural): 'la fiesta movida' (feminine singular) or 'los días movidos' (masculine plural).
llenas
YEH-nahs/ˈʎe.nas/
Examples
Las bolsas de la compra están llenas.
The shopping bags are full.
Mis clases están llenas de estudiantes nuevos.
My classes are full of new students.
Después de la comida, nos sentimos llenas.
After the meal, we (females) feel full.
Matching Gender and Number
As an adjective, 'llenas' must match the noun it describes. Since it ends in -as, it must describe plural feminine nouns like 'botellas' (bottles) or 'maletas' (suitcases).
Don't confuse 'ocupado' with 'lleno'
Related Translations
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