Inklingo

How to Say "fired" in Spanish

English → Spanish

despedido

/des-pe-DÍ-do//des.peˈði.ðo/

AdjectiveB1
Use this adjective when referring to someone who has been officially terminated from their job.
A cartoon character carrying a small cardboard box of belongings while walking away from an office building entrance, symbolizing being fired.

Examples

El trabajador despedido no pudo pagar el alquiler.

The fired worker couldn't pay the rent.

Llevaba dos meses despedido cuando encontró un nuevo empleo.

He had been fired for two months when he found a new job.

La noticia de ser despedido le cayó como un balde de agua fría.

The news of being dismissed hit him like a ton of bricks (literally: bucket of cold water).

Using the Past Participle as an Adjective

When used as an adjective, 'despedido' must match the person or thing it describes in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural): 'despedida,' 'despedidos,' 'despedidas'.

Mixing up the state and the action

Mistake:Soy despedido. (I am fired.)

Correction: Estoy despedido. (I am in the state of being fired.) Use 'ser' only if you are defining yourself as a fired person (Soy un despedido), but 'estar' is usually better to describe the current state.

echó

Verb (Past Tense)B2informal
Use this verb when describing the action of someone (he, she, it) dismissing or kicking someone out of a place or situation, often informally.

Examples

El gerente lo echó del restaurante por causar problemas.

The manager kicked him out of the restaurant for causing problems.

disparado

dees-pah-RAH-doh/dis.paˈɾa.ðo/

AdjectiveA2
Use this adjective when referring to something that has been shot or launched, such as an arrow or a bullet, or in a figurative sense for something that happened very quickly.
A perfectly straight, wooden arrow flying rapidly through the air against a clear blue sky, depicted with motion lines.

Examples

La flecha fue disparada con mucha fuerza.

The arrow was shot with great force.

El arma había sido disparada recientemente.

The weapon had been recently fired.

El proyectil disparado impactó en el blanco.

The fired projectile hit the target.

The Passive Voice

This is the form used when something receives the action of shooting. You often see it with the verb 'ser' (to be) to form the passive voice: 'fue disparado' (it was shot).

Job Dismissal vs. Shooting

The most common mistake is confusing 'despedido' (job dismissal) with 'disparado' (shot/launched). Remember that 'despedido' specifically relates to losing one's job, while 'disparado' is about projectiles or rapid movement.

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