Excel ISBLANK function
Returns TRUE when the cell is empty. In Spanish Excel it is called ESBLANCO.
Syntax
English Excel
=ISBLANK(value)
Spanish Excel (Mexico)
=ESBLANCO(valor)
Spanish Excel (Spain, Latin America)
=ESBLANCO(valor)
| Argument | What it is |
|---|---|
| value | The cell to check. |
Example
ISBLANK(cell) returns TRUE when the cell is empty. Inside IF it flags what is still missing.
=IF(ISBLANK(C2),"Pending","Delivered")
Common mistake
A cell with a formula returning "" is not blank to ISBLANK; use cell="" there.
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Practice ISBLANK
Type the formula in the sheet and check it instantly. Spanish or English function names both work. See all lessons
Pending items with ISBLANK
ISBLANK(cell) returns TRUE when the cell is empty. Inside IF it flags what is still missing.
In D2, show "Pending" when there is no delivery date and "Delivered" when there is.
| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Task | Owner | Delivered | Status | |
| 2 | Monthly report | Ana | 03/02/2026 | ||
| 3 | Inventory | Luis | |||
| 4 | Invoices | Sofía | 03/05/2026 | ||
| 5 | Budget | Diego | |||
| 6 | Payroll | Marta | 03/01/2026 | ||
| 7 |
Tip: while typing, click a cell or drag across several to insert their reference. F4 anchors the reference with $.
Frequently asked questions
- What is ISBLANK called in Spanish?
- In Spanish Excel it is ESBLANCO. The formula =IF(ISBLANK(C2),"Pending","Delivered") is written =SI(ESBLANCO(C2);"Pendiente";"Entregado") (or with commas in Mexico).
- Why does ISBLANK use semicolons in some Excel versions?
- It depends on regional settings. Where the comma is the decimal mark (Spain, much of South America), Excel separates arguments with semicolons. English Excel and Mexican Spanish Excel use commas.
- What is the most common ISBLANK mistake?
- A cell with a formula returning "" is not blank to ISBLANK; use cell="" there.