Trabado

Trabado is a Spanish adjective and the past participle of the verb trabar, used to describe something that is blocked, jammed, or tightly fastened. It can apply to physical objects, mechanisms, or more abstract situations where movement or progress is impeded. The feminine form is trabada, as in una puerta trabada.

Etymology and sense development: trabar originally relates to fastening or binding, and its intransitive reflexive form, trabar(se), widens the meaning to becoming obstructed or stuck. Consequently, when something is trabado, its operation is hindered and movement is limited until the obstruction is removed or released. In contemporary usage, the term is common across many Spanish-speaking regions, though some dialects prefer synonyms such as atascado or bloqueado in certain contexts.

Usage notes: The term is versatile for both literal and figurative contexts. Examples include physical blockage, such as La cerradura está trabada (The lock is jammed), or mechanical failure, such as El engranaje se trabó durante la operación. Metaphorically, se usa para describir situaciones o procesos estancados, como Las negociaciones están trabadas. When describing a person, regional usage varies; in most cases, trabado describes objects or processes rather than individuals.

Synonyms and contrasts: Common near-synonyms include atorado, atascado, bloqueado, and trabado conveys a sense of obstruction that can be mechanical or situational. The expression is contrasted with terms that emphasize simple immobility or completion, depending on context.

See also: trabar, atascar, bloquear.