despierto
adjectiveCEFR B2
What does “despierto” mean in English?
awake — not sleeping; in a state of wakefulness
awake — not sleeping; in a state of wakefulness (estar despierto = to be awake)
Example sentences
A pesar de haber trabajado más de doce horas seguidas, el cirujano permaneció despierto y alerta durante toda la intervención.
Despite having worked for more than twelve consecutive hours, the surgeon remained awake and alert throughout the procedure.
La cafeína te mantiene despierto, pero a largo plazo interfiere con la calidad del sueño nocturno.
Caffeine keeps you awake, but in the long term it interferes with the quality of your night's sleep.
Es un niño muy despierto: aprende los conceptos mucho más rápido que el resto de sus compañeros.
He's a very sharp child: he picks up concepts much faster than the rest of his classmates.
How to use it
Despierto/a means 'awake' (not sleeping). It is almost exclusively used with estar — 'estar despierto' = to be awake (a state). Using ser despierto means 'to be sharp/alert/quick-witted' (character trait), much like ser vivo. This ser/estar distinction is a classic B2 trap. Common collocations: mantenerse despierto (to stay awake), permanecer despierto, quedarse despierto (to stay up). Idiom: con los ojos bien despiertos = wide awake / fully alert.
Common mistake
Estar despierto = to be awake (not sleeping). Ser despierto = to be sharp/clever/alert in character. This mirrors the vivo contrast. Never use estar despierto to mean 'sharp'; never use ser despierto to mean 'currently not sleeping'. Also: quedarse despierto (to stay awake / stay up) is a high-frequency phrasal construction learners should know alongside the bare adjective.