Inklingo

How to Say "reclining" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “reclining” is “echado” — use 'echado' when referring to an animal or person in a resting or lying down position, without a strong implication of comfort or specific posture. It's a general term for being in a horizontal or resting state.

English → Spanish

echado

eh-CHAH-doheˈt͡ʃa.ðo

adjectiveA2formal synonym
Use 'echado' when referring to an animal or person in a resting or lying down position, without a strong implication of comfort or specific posture. It's a general term for being in a horizontal or resting state.
A brown dog lying completely flat on its side on a bright green grassy hill, resting peacefully.

Examples

El perro duerme echado en su cama.

The dog sleeps lying down on its bed.

El gato siempre está echado al sol en la ventana.

The cat is always lying down in the sun on the window.

Después de la comida, mi abuelo se queda echado en el sillón.

After lunch, my grandfather stays stretched out on the armchair.

Using 'Echado' as an Adjective

When used to describe how someone is positioned, 'echado' must match the person or thing you're describing in gender and number: echado (m. singular), echada (f. singular), echados (m. plural), echadas (f. plural).

Estar vs. Ser

Always use 'estar' (to be, temporary state) with this meaning, as it describes the current position: 'El niño está echado' (The boy is lying down).

Agreement Error

Mistake: “La niña está echado.”

Correction: La niña está echada. Remember to match the ending to the subject: '-a' for feminine, '-o' for masculine.

tumbado

toom-BAH-dohtumˈbaðo

adjectiveA2leaning back comfortably
Choose 'tumbado' when describing someone lying down in a relaxed, comfortable, and often leisurely manner, especially on furniture like a sofa or bed.
A person resting comfortably on a soft green lawn.

Examples

Me gusta estar tumbado en el sofá viendo la tele.

I like to be lying down on the sofa watching TV.

Después del trabajo, me quedé tumbado en el sofá.

After work, I stayed lying down on the sofa.

El gato está tumbado al sol en la terraza.

The cat is lying in the sun on the terrace.

No puedes estar todo el día tumbada sin hacer nada.

You can't be lying down all day doing nothing.

Using with 'Estar'

Always use the verb 'estar' (to be) with this word because it describes a temporary physical position or state.

Matching Gender

The word changes its ending based on who is lying down. Use 'tumbado' for a man and 'tumbada' for a woman.

Using 'Ser' instead of 'Estar'

Mistake: “Soy tumbado.”

Correction: Estoy tumbado. (Because being lying down is a temporary state, not a permanent personality trait.)

General vs. Comfortable Reclining

The main confusion lies between the general state of 'echado' and the comfortable, relaxed state of 'tumbado'. While you might say a cat is 'echado' in the sun generally, you'd use 'tumbado' if you specifically mean it's comfortably lounging on the sofa.

Related Translations

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