How to Say "lifted" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “lifted” is “levantó” — use 'levantó' when describing the action of someone or something physically raising an object in the past..
levantó
leh-vahn-TOH/leβanˈto/
Examples
Mi hermano levantó la caja pesada.
My brother lifted the heavy box.
Mi abuelo levantó la maleta sin ayuda.
My grandfather lifted the suitcase without help.
El presidente levantó la mano para saludar a la multitud.
The president raised his hand to greet the crowd.
Tense Identification
This form, 'levantó', tells you that the action happened once and was finished in the past. It is the simple past tense (Preterite) for 'he, she, formal you, or it'.
Levantó vs. Se Levantó
Mistake: “Using 'levantó' when you mean 'He/She got up' (e.g., 'Él levantó a las siete').”
Correction: Use the reflexive form 'se levantó' when the person is doing the action to themselves (getting out of bed): 'Él se levantó a las siete.' ('Levantó' means he lifted something else.)
levantado
leh-vahn-TAH-doh/le.βanˈta.ðo/
Examples
El telón está levantado para el espectáculo.
The curtain is raised for the show.
El puente móvil está levantado para que pasen los barcos.
The drawbridge is raised so the boats can pass.
Tiene el cuello levantado por el frío.
He has his collar turned up because of the cold.
Agreeing the Adjective
Like all Spanish adjectives, 'levantado' must match the thing it describes in both gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural): 'la mano levantada', 'los brazos levantados'.
Using 'Ser' vs. 'Estar'
Mistake: “Using 'ser' (El puente es levantado) when describing a temporary state.”
Correction: Always use 'estar' (El puente está levantado) to describe the current position or state resulting from an action.
Verb vs. Adjective Confusion
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