How to Say "Tied Up" in Spanish

atado

/aˈtado/

The English phrase "tied up" is translated into Spanish as atado.

How does it change in a sentence?

Use atada if the subject is feminine, atados if the subject is a group of males or a mixed group and atadas if the subject is a group of females.

/aˈtado/

To say someone is 'tied up' in the sense of being very busy, Spanish speakers typically avoid atado and instead use estar liado.
In Spanish, the phrase atar cabos means 'to tie up loose ends' or 'to put two and two together'.
In certain Spanish-speaking regions, if someone is 'atado de manos', it doesn't just mean they are physically bound, but that they are powerless to act in a situation.

Cuando desperté, descubrí que había sido atado.
When I woke up, I found I had been tied up.
Tatoeba #1590187 by teskmon, translation #954612 by CK
Antes de partir me dijo que todo estaba bien atado y que nada se caería a la carretera.
Before leaving, he told me that everything was properly tied up and nothing would fall onto the road.
Tatoeba #10363415 by gianich73, translation #10363417 by DJ_Saidez
El prisionero está atado de pies y manos.
The prisoner is tied up, hands, and feet.
El paquete está bien amarrado.
The package is tightly tied up.
Los caballos estaban sujetados al poste.
The horses were tied up to the post.
El paquete está bien atado.
The package is well tied up.

Javier and Elena are moving house and checking the boxes.

Javier

¿Está bien atado el paquete de libros?
Is the book package tied up well?
Elena

Sí, lo dejé muy bien atado.
Yes, I left it very well tied up.
Javier

Perfecto, no se moverá nada.
Perfect, nothing will move.
Elena

Entonces ya podemos cargar el coche.
Then we can load the car now.

Sources

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