How to Say "flooded" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “flooded” is “inundado” — use 'inundado' when referring to an area, such as a basement or a street, that has been covered with water, typically due to rain or a burst pipe.
inundado
een-oon-DAH-dohinunˈdaðo
Examples
La casa quedó inundada después de las fuertes lluvias.
The house was flooded after the heavy rains.
El sótano está inundado después de la tormenta.
The basement is flooded after the storm.
Las calles quedaron inundadas por la lluvia intensa.
The streets became flooded because of the heavy rain.
El coche no arranca porque el motor está inundado.
The car won't start because the engine is flooded.
The 'Matching' Rule
Since this is an adjective, its ending must match the person or thing you are talking about. Use 'inundado' for masculine things (el patio) and 'inundada' for feminine things (la casa).
Use with 'Estar'
We almost always use this word with the verb 'estar' because being flooded is usually a temporary state or a result of something that happened, not a permanent characteristic.
Don't forget the 'a'
Mistake: “La cocina está inundado.”
Correction: La cocina está inundada. (Because 'cocina' is feminine, you must change the 'o' to an 'a'.)
crecido
kreh-SEE-dohkɾeˈsiðo
Examples
El río crecido se llevó el puente viejo.
The swollen river carried away the old bridge.
Tengan cuidado, el río está muy crecido y es peligroso cruzarlo.
Be careful, the river is very swollen/high and it's dangerous to cross it.
Después del deshielo, el arroyo siempre viene crecido.
After the thaw, the stream always comes high/swollen.
Always used with 'Estar'
When referring to water levels, 'crecido' describes the temporary, current state of the river or stream, so it always pairs with 'estar' (to be).
Using 'inundado' for swollen rivers
Related Translations
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