ser robado
/seɾ ɾobado/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'get robbed' is expressed in Spanish as ser robado.
The Spanish word for 'stolen' is robado.
Which one should you use?
The phrase ser robado is a passive construction, whereas the active verb robar is much more common in daily conversation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, you may hear the phrase me asaltaron.
How does it change in a sentence?
In natural spoken Spanish, people often use the third-person plural preterite me robaron instead of the passive voice to say they got robbed.
How do you pronounce it?
/seɾ ɾobado/
Did you know?
- In a legal context, the distinction between robo and hurto is vital, as hurto refers to theft without violence or force.
- The verb ser in ser robado comes from the Latin esse, but it absorbed the Old Spanish seer, which meant 'to sit'.
- In slang, saying someone te robó el show means they stole the spotlight, mirroring the English idiom rather than a literal crime.
Examples in context
- Me han robado la carteraI've been robbed of my wallet.
- He sufrido un robo en mi casaI have suffered a robbery at my house.
- Me arrebataron el teléfonoSomeone snatched my phone.
- Me asaltaron en la calleI got robbed on the street.
- me robaronI got robbed.
- Me han robado el bolso en el metro.They have stolen my purse on the subway.
- Sufrí un robo en mi casa durante mis vacaciones.I suffered a robbery at my house during my vacation.
- Me robaron la cartera.My wallet was stolen / They robbed my wallet.
Example conversation
Mateo and María are talking about safety in a new city.
- MateoMaría, ¿es peligroso caminar por aquí?María, is it dangerous to walk around here?
- MaríaSí, es fácil ser robado si no tienes cuidado.Yes, it is easy to get robbed if you are not careful.
- MateoEntonces guardaré mi teléfono en la mochila.Then I will put my phone in the backpack.
- MaríaEs la mejor idea para evitar problemas.That is the best idea to avoid problems.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries robado, ser, CC BY-SA 4.0.
