varado
/baˈɾado/
The Spanish word for stranded is varado.
varado is used to describe a person who is stranded. It is also very commonly used for vehicles or vessels (like a ship or a car) that are stuck or unable to move.
Meaning: of a person (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the person being described, so use varada if the person is female. The adjective must agree in number, using varados for a group of men or a mixed-gender group and varadas for a group consisting only of females.
How do you pronounce it?
/baˈɾado/
Did you know?
- In some coastal cultures, feeling varado can be a metaphor for a total lack of social or professional progress in life.
- While varado is used for people, the word encallado is the technical term for a ship that has specifically hit a rock or the seabed.
- The specific noun for a whale stranding event is varamiento, a term used frequently in marine biology and news reports.
Examples in context
- Los pasajeros quedaron varados en el aeropuerto.The passengers were left stranded at the airport.
- El pasajero se quedó varado en el aeropuerto.The passenger was left stranded at the airport.
- Ellos quedaron varados por la fuerte tormenta.They were left stranded by the heavy storm.
Example conversation
Daniel calls Sofía after his car breaks down.
- DanielHola Sofía, mi coche se rompió y estoy varado.Hi Sofía, my car broke down and I'm stranded.
- Sofía¡Qué mal! ¿Dónde estás exactamente, Daniel?That's too bad! Where exactly are you, Daniel?
- DanielEstoy varado en la carretera principal.I'm stranded on the main road.
- SofíaNo te preocupes, voy a buscarte ahora.Don't worry, I'm going to get you now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry varado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
