How to Say "contaminated" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “contaminated” is “contaminado” — use 'contaminado' when referring to pollution in the environment, such as air, water, or soil, or when food or medical supplies are spoiled or rendered unsafe..
contaminado
/kon-tah-mee-nah-doh//kontamiˈnaðo/
Examples
El agua del río está contaminada por los desechos industriales.
The river water is contaminated by industrial waste.
El aire de la ciudad está muy contaminado hoy.
The city air is very polluted today.
No podemos beber este agua porque está contaminada.
We cannot drink this water because it is contaminated.
El experimento falló porque el material estaba contaminado.
The experiment failed because the material was contaminated.
Matching the Noun
This word must change its ending to match what you are describing. Use 'contaminado' for masculine things (like 'aire') and 'contaminada' for feminine things (like 'agua').
Using with 'Estar'
Since being polluted is usually a state or condition, we almost always use this word with the verb 'estar' (to be) rather than 'ser'.
Gender Mismatch
Mistake: “El agua está contaminado.”
Correction: El agua está contaminada. Even though 'agua' starts with 'el', it is a feminine word, so the adjective needs an 'a' at the end.
infectado
/een-fek-TAH-doh//iɱfekˈtaðo/
Examples
La herida se ve roja e infectada.
The wound looks red and infected.
Limpia bien la herida para que no se quede infectada.
Clean the wound well so it doesn't stay infected.
Mi ordenador está infectado con un virus muy raro.
My computer is infected with a very strange virus.
El agua del río parece estar infectada por residuos químicos.
The river water seems to be contaminated by chemical waste.
Using 'Estar' for States
Use the verb 'estar' (to be) with this word because it describes a temporary condition or state of health.
Matching the Person or Thing
Remember to change the ending to match what you are describing: 'infectado' for a boy/man, 'infectada' for a girl/woman, and 'infectados/as' for groups.
The 'Ser' Trap
Mistake: “Soy infectado.”
Correction: Estoy infectado. Use 'estar' because being infected is a condition that can change, not a permanent personality trait.
Pollution vs. Germs
Related Translations
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