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How to Say "opened" in Spanish

English → Spanish

abrió

verbA1general
Use 'abrió' when referring to the past tense action of someone (he, she, it) performing the act of opening something.

Examples

Ella abrió la puerta con una llave vieja.

She opened the door with an old key.

abierto

ah-BYEHR-toh/aˈbjeɾto/

adjectiveA2general
Use 'abierto' as an adjective to describe the state of something being open, or as the past participle when forming compound tenses like the present perfect.
A brightly wrapped gift box whose lid has been taken off and placed next to the box, showing the contents inside.

Examples

Nunca hemos abierto esa caja.

We have never opened that box.

Ellos habían abierto el regalo antes de la fiesta.

They had opened the gift before the party.

Una vez que hayas abierto la botella, guárdala en la nevera.

Once you have opened the bottle, keep it in the fridge.

The Irregular Past Participle

'Abierto' is the special form of the verb 'abrir' (to open) used to build two-part tenses with the helper verb 'haber' (to have). It does not follow the standard -ado ending.

Used Only with 'Haber'

Unlike the adjectival forms, when 'abierto' is functioning to form a perfect tense, it ONLY pairs with the verb 'haber' (e.g., He abierto = I have opened). It never agrees with the noun when used this way.

Using the Regular Participle

Mistake: “Hemos *abridó* el regalo.”

Correction: Hemos abierto el regalo. ('Abridó' does not exist; 'abierto' is the required irregular form.)

Verb vs. Adjective Confusion

The most common mistake is using 'abierto' when you need the conjugated verb 'abrió' for a specific past action. Remember, 'abrió' is the action performed by 'he/she/it', while 'abierto' describes the resulting state or is part of a perfect tense.

Related Translations

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