Lesson 54

When “Done” Becomes a Description

Language Transfer Complete Spanish is by Mihalis Eleftheriou. Listen to the original audio first; use these notes for revision.

The past participle (-ado/-ido) can be used as an adjective, just like English: "I have closed it" → "It is closed." When used as adjectives, they change for gender/number and almost always go with estar.

Cerrar = to close. La puerta = the door. Terminar = to finish. Mojado/a = wet. La silla = the chair. La idea = the idea (same word).

Me canso = I get tired ("I tire myself"). Me he cansado = I've gotten tired.

Some of these adjectives can be used with ser for characteristics: Es una persona cerrada = He/she is a closed-off person. Es una persona perdida = He/she is a lost person (hopeless case).

Sentences practiced

Spanish	English
Me gustaría haber ido.	I would like to have gone.
Lo he cerrado.	I've closed it. (masculine thing)
La he cerrado.	I've closed it. (feminine thing)
Está cerrada.	It's closed. (la puerta)
Estoy perdido.	I'm lost. (masculine)
Estoy perdida.	I'm lost. (feminine)
Está terminado.	It's finished. (masculine)
Está terminada.	It's finished. (feminine)
Están vendidos.	They're sold. (masculine/mixed)
Están vendidas.	They're sold. (feminine)
Me canso.	I get tired.
Me he cansado.	I've gotten tired.
Estoy cansada.	I'm tired.
Está cerrado.	It is closed.
Es una persona cerrada.	He/she is a closed-off person. (characteristic)
Está perdida.	She is lost. (state)
Es una persona perdida.	He/she is a lost cause. (characteristic)
La silla está mojada.	The chair is wet.
Es una silla.	It is a chair. (identity = ser)