How to Say "divorced" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “divorced” is “divorciado” — use this word when referring to the official legal status of being divorced after a marriage has ended.
divorciado
dee-bor-syah-dohdiβoɾˈsjaðo
Examples
Mi hermano está divorciado desde hace dos años.
My brother has been divorced for two years.
Él es un hombre divorciado que vive en Madrid.
He is a divorced man who lives in Madrid.
A veces parece que el gobierno está divorciado de la realidad.
Sometimes it seems like the government is out of touch with reality.
Use with 'Estar'
Use 'estar' (to be) to describe the person's current state. Even though a divorce is permanent, Spanish views marital status as a state or condition.
Gender Agreement
This specific word 'divorciado' only describes a man. If you are describing a woman, you must change the ending to -a (divorciada).
Using the wrong 'To Be'
Mistake: “Soy divorciado.”
Correction: Estoy divorciado. Use 'estar' because being divorced is a status, not an unchanging personality trait.
separado
seh-pah-RAH-dohse.paˈɾa.ðo
Examples
Mis padres están separados, pero se llevan bien.
My parents are separated, but they get along well.
Las mesas estaban separadas por una cortina.
The tables were separated by a curtain.
Necesitas un recibo separado para cada compra.
You need a separate receipt for each purchase.
Changing Endings
Like many Spanish descriptions, 'separado' must match the person or thing it describes. Use 'separada' for a female, 'separados' for multiple males/mixed groups, and 'separadas' for multiple females.
Status vs. Action
When talking about marital status, 'separado' often pairs with the verb 'estar' (to be) because it describes a current state or condition.
Forgetting Gender/Number
Mistake: “Mi hermana es separado.”
Correction: Mi hermana es separada. (The adjective must end in -a to match the feminine noun 'hermana'.)
Formal vs. Informal Use
Related Translations
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