Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Burnt in Spanish: Quemado
Quemado · adjective · keh-MAH-doh
Burnt in Spanish is quemado (masculine) or quemada (feminine), the past participle of quemar (to burn).
Quemado is keh-MAH-doh, with the stress on the second syllable.
El arroz quedó quemado porque olvidé apagar la estufa.
The rice got burnt because I forgot to turn off the stove.
Burnt in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for burnt, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| quemado | burnt | keh-MAH-doh | Default, widely understood |
| quemada | burnt | feminine form |
How Native Speakers Use Quemado
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Cooking accident
Las tostadas están quemadas, voy a hacer otras.
The toast is burnt, I'll make more.
Common kitchen mishap.
Sunburn
Estoy muy quemado por el sol, me duele la espalda.
I'm really sunburnt, my back hurts.
Quemado also means sunburnt.
Smell of burning
Huele a quemado, ¿dejaste algo en el horno?
It smells burnt, did you leave something in the oven?
Oler a quemado means to smell burnt.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Quemado
Not agreeing in gender
Incorrect: La comida está quemado.
Correct: La comida está quemada.
Quemado must agree with the feminine noun comida, becoming quemada.
Using ardido for burnt
Incorrect: El pan está ardido.
Correct: El pan está quemado.
Arder means to burn/flame but ardido is not commonly used as an adjective for burnt food.
Lock in Burnt Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Quemado used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using quemado in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El arroz quedó quemado porque olvidé apagar la estufa. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Burnt in Spanish
- How do you say burnt in Spanish?
- The adjective burnt is quemado (masculine) or quemada (feminine), from the verb quemar (to burn).
- How do you say sunburnt in Spanish?
- Sunburnt uses the same word: quemado por el sol or simply quemado when the sun context is clear.
- What does oler a quemado mean?
- Oler a quemado is the expression for something smells burnt, using the impersonal construction with the infinitive oler.