Time to celebrate two more similar-looking Spanish words, to examine how they are used and, in passing, to prise apart some synonyms. Today’s pair are retirada and retirado.
First of all, let’s listen to how they are pronounced:
retirada:
retirado:
Retirada (feminine) is the act of withdrawing something or someone from somewhere. It can also be the act of pulling out of something. In many contexts retirada is equivalent to withdrawal.
- So la retirada (feminine) of money from a bank is its withdrawal:
Esto no detuvo la retirada de fondos del banco.
This didn’t stop the withdrawal of funds from the bank.
El límite de retirada de los cajeros automáticos ha bajado.
The withdrawal limit orthe maximum withdrawal for cash machines has been reduced.
- In particular contexts retirada may also mean removal or recall:
Las tensiones se resolvieron con la retirada del asilo diplomático al australiano.
Tensions calmed with the withdrawal orremoval of diplomatic asylum from the Australian.
Solicitaron la retirada de estos productos del mercado.
They requested the withdrawal or recall of these products from the market.
La retirada del Embajador se produjo en respuesta a una solicitud de Gran Bretaña.
The recall of the Ambassador came in response to a request from Britain.
- While the retirada of troops and forces from a fight or place may involve withdrawal, if the circumstances are a prudent move back to a safer position away from the enemy and the risk of gunfire, retreat is the English equivalent:
la retirada de todas las tropas de la OTAN de Afganistán
the withdrawal of all NATO troops from Afghanistan
Habían autorizado dicha retirada una vez fue evidente el riesgo de cerco.
They had authorized this retreat once the risk of being surrounded was clear.
- Your retirada from a given activity or sphere may be your withdrawal from it or else it could be your retirement:
En 1993 las carreras de prototipos estaban virtualmente muertas en Europa, con la retirada de los equipos Peugeot, Jaguar, Toyota y Mercedes-Benz.
In 1993 prototype racing was practically finished in Europe, with the withdrawal of the Peugeot, Jaguar, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz teams.
El 5 de mayo anunció su retirada de la natación de competición.
On 5 May she announced her retirement from competitive swimming.
Al momento de su retirada era el tercer máximo goleador de la historia del Real Madrid C.F.
At the time of his retirement, he was the third-highest goal scorer in the history of Madrid FC.
Returning to things military, another sense of la retirada is the bugle or trumpet call signifying the need to withdraw to somewhere safer – the retreat:
El asalto inicial fracasó y la retirada se hizo sonar.
The initial assault failed, and the retreat was sounded.
The above senses are all feminine, but another noun sense refers to a person and so can be either masculine (retirado) or feminine (retirada) depending on whether it refers to a man who has retired from a particular profession or a woman – retired person orretiree:
nuevos empleos para los retirados
new jobs for retired people or retirees
los retirados de las fuerzas armadas
former orretired members of the armed services
Afecta a los retirados de la función pública que continúan sus carreras en el sector privado.
It affects former or retired civil servants who are carrying on their careers in the private sector.
As with other masculine plural nouns referring to people, los retirados can refer either to a mixed group of men and women or to men only.
Moving on to the adjective retirado, this (together with inflected forms retirada, retirados and retiradas – to agree with the noun it qualifies) is used to describe places that are away from populated areas – remote:
Han decidido tomarse unas vacaciones y se apartan a un retirado refugio de montaña.
They’ve decided to take some holidays and are going away to a remote mountain refuge.
Retirado is also used to describe an isolated lifestyle – quiet and secluded:
la tranquilidad de la vida retirada
the tranquillity of the secluded life
Desde entonces vivió una vida tranquila y retirada en Rosario.
From then on he led a quiet, secluded life in Rosario.
Lastly, the adjective retirado describes someone who has taken retirement from their profession – retired (or sometimes ex or former):
Poirot es un detective retirado que siempre tiene gran cantidad de trabajo.
Poirot is a former orretired detective who always has lots of work.
En 2002, catorce oficiales militares tanto activos como retirados se pronunciaron en contra del gobierno.
In 2002, fourteen military officers, both serving and retired, spoke out against the government.
Es un político y militar retirado.
He’s a politician and ex or former soldier.
Es un nadador olímpico retirado especialista en estilo braza.
He’s a former Olympic swimmer who specialized in breaststroke.
DID YOU KNOW?
Another word is commonly also used to mean retired – jubilado. So what’s the difference?
While retirado means no longer working in a particular field (military, police, sports, for example), jubilado implies being of pension age and in receipt of a state pension.
Compare the following:
Hoy en día está jubilada después de 34 años ejerciendo como profesor de lengua española.
These days she’s retired after having worked for 34 years as a Spanish language teacher.
Actualmente está retirado como boxeador profesional y trabaja como comentarista de boxeo.
Nowadays he’s retired from professional boxing and works as a boxing commentator.
Humphrey es un jubilado entrado en años.
Humphrey is an elderly pensioner.
las casas con un retirado como cabeza de familia
households with a retiree or retired person as the head of the family
To explore the differences in usage between some more similar-looking Spanish words, come back next week.
