Inklingo

How to Say "deserted" in Spanish

English → Spanish

desierto

/deh-SYEHR-toh//deˈsjeɾto/

adjectiveB1general
Use 'desierto' when referring to a place that is empty of people, like a street or a beach.
A colorful illustration of an empty children's playground featuring a swing set and a slide. There are no people visible, emphasizing the feeling of emptiness.

Examples

La plaza del pueblo estaba desierta al amanecer.

The town square was deserted at dawn.

La playa estaba desierta después de la tormenta.

The beach was deserted after the storm.

El centro comercial está completamente desierto los domingos.

The shopping center is completely empty on Sundays.

Parece que el pueblo está desierto; no hay nadie en las calles.

It seems the town is deserted; there is no one in the streets.

Adjective Agreement

As an adjective, 'desierto' must match the thing it describes in gender and number: 'el parque desierto' (masculine singular), 'las calles desiertas' (feminine plural).

Forgetting Agreement

Mistake:La casa estaba desierto.

Correction: La casa estaba desierta. (Since 'casa' is feminine, the adjective must also be feminine.)

abandonado

ah-bahn-doh-NAH-doh/aβan̪doˈnaðo/

adjectiveB1general
Use 'abandonado' to describe a person or thing that has been left behind or neglected by someone.
A single, closed brown leather suitcase sitting alone in the middle of a winding, empty dirt road under a bright sky.

Examples

El perro se sentía abandonado sin sus dueños.

The dog felt deserted without its owners.

Se sintió totalmente abandonado cuando su socio se fue.

He felt totally deserted when his partner left.

Temía ser abandonada por sus amigos.

She was afraid of being forsaken by her friends.

The Passive Voice

When talking about an action done to someone, 'abandonado' works with the verb 'ser' to form the passive voice: 'El niño fue abandonado' (The child was abandoned).

verbA2general
Use 'abandonó' (the preterite tense of 'abandonar') to describe the past action of someone leaving and not returning, often implying neglect.

Examples

El capitán abandonó el barco en llamas.

The captain deserted the burning ship.

Adjective vs. Verb

Learners often confuse the adjectives 'abandonado'/'desierto' with the verb 'abandonó'. Remember that 'abandonó' describes the *action* of leaving, while 'abandonado' and 'desierto' describe the *state* of being left or empty.

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