Inklingo

How to Say "missing" in Spanish

English → Spanish

ausente

/ow-SEN-teh//au̯ˈsente/

adjectiveA2general
Use 'ausente' when referring to a person or thing that is not present when they are expected to be, like a student not in class.
An empty wooden chair at a dinner table with a full plate of food.

Examples

Tres estudiantes están ausentes hoy.

Three students are absent today.

Mi padre estuvo ausente durante gran parte de mi infancia.

My father was away during much of my childhood.

One word for everyone

This word doesn't change based on gender. You can use it for both men and women without changing the ending.

Choosing the right 'to be'

Mistake: “Soy ausente.”

Correction: Estoy ausente. Use 'estar' because being absent is usually a temporary state, not a permanent personality trait.

perdido

/pehr-DEE-doh//peɾˈdi.ðo/

adjectiveA2general
Use 'perdido' when an object cannot be found, or when a person is lost and doesn't know where they are.
A small child standing alone and looking confused in a vast, dense green forest, symbolizing being physically lost.

Examples

Creo que estamos perdidos. ¿Tienes un mapa?

I think we're lost. Do you have a map?

He buscado por todas partes, pero mi libro sigue perdido.

I've looked everywhere, but my book is still missing.

Matches the Noun

As an adjective, 'perdido' changes to match the person or thing it describes. Use 'perdida' for feminine things, and add an '-s' for plural things ('perdidos', 'perdidas').

Use with 'Estar'

To say something or someone is lost, you'll almost always use the verb 'estar' (e.g., 'El gato está perdido'), because being lost is a temporary state, not a permanent characteristic.

Using 'Ser' instead of 'Estar'

Mistake: “Mi cartera es perdida.”

Correction: Mi cartera está perdida. Use 'estar' for the temporary state of being lost. Saying 'es perdida' sounds very unnatural.

desaparecido

des-ah-pah-reh-SEE-doh/desapaɾeˈsiðo/

adjectiveB1general
Use 'desaparecido' for something or someone that has vanished and is being sought, often implying a longer or more serious absence.
A simple illustration of an empty space on a kitchen counter, marked by a faint dust outline, suggesting an object is missing.

Examples

El collar de oro está desaparecido desde anoche.

The gold necklace has been missing since last night.

Encontraron el coche desaparecido a pocos kilómetros de la ciudad.

They found the vanished car a few kilometers from the city.

Gender and Number Agreement

Since this is an adjective (it describes a noun), it must change its ending to match the thing it is describing: 'la cartera desaparecida' (feminine, singular) or 'los documentos desaparecidos' (masculine, plural).

Using the Wrong Verb

Mistake: “Using 'ser' instead of 'estar' (El libro es desaparecido).”

Correction: Use 'estar' (El libro está desaparecido). Being missing is a temporary state, not a permanent quality of the book.

Lost vs. Absent

Learners often confuse 'perdido' (lost) with 'ausente' (absent). Remember that 'ausente' is for when someone is simply not where they should be, while 'perdido' implies they are lost or cannot be found.

Related Translations

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