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How to Say "violated" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “violated” is “violó” — use this when referring to the past tense action of breaking a specific rule, law, or agreement by a subject..

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violó

verbB1general
Use this when referring to the past tense action of breaking a specific rule, law, or agreement by a subject.

Examples

El conductor violó la señal de alto y causó un accidente.

The driver violated the stop sign and caused an accident.

violada

/bee-oh-LAH-dah//bjoˈlaða/

adjectiveB2formal
Use this to describe something (like a right, privacy, or law) that has been infringed upon or broken.
A birdcage with an open and bent door, symbolizing a breach of privacy or rights.

Examples

La ley fue violada por la empresa.

The law was violated by the company.

Ella sintió que su privacidad fue violada.

She felt that her privacy was violated.

La correspondencia ha sido violada.

The mail has been tampered with (violated).

La víctima fue violada en el callejón.

The victim was raped in the alley.

Feminine Matching

This word ends in 'a' because it must match the feminine thing it describes, like 'la ley' (the law) or 'la privacidad' (privacy).

The 'Done' Form

Violada is the form of the verb 'violar' used after the word 'ser' (to be) or 'haber' (to have) when talking about feminine things.

Violada vs. Rota

Mistake: “Using 'violada' for a broken physical object like a plate.”

Correction: Use 'rota' for physical objects. Use 'violada' for abstract things like rules or personal space.

violada

verbB1general
Use this as the past participle to describe the state of a rule, correspondence, or boundary having been broken or tampered with.

Examples

La correspondencia ha sido violada.

The mail has been tampered with (violated).

Verb vs. Adjective Confusion

Learners often confuse 'violó' (he/she/it violated) with 'violada' (violated - adjective). Remember that 'violó' is a specific past tense verb form referring to the actor, while 'violada' describes the state of what was broken.

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