Spanish Conversation · Level 155
28 words
Spanish word
peón
Pronunciation
IPA/peˈon/
Meaning
- masculine nounworker
Example
El peón trabaja en la obra.
The worker is working at the construction site.
More examples
¿Has visto al peón de la construcción en la esquina?
Have you seen the construction worker at the corner?
Core concept
Unskilled manual laborer at a construction site.
Common phrases
peón de la construcción
construction worker
peón de campo
farm laborer
Similar words
trabajador: Paid worker earning wages across various jobs or industries.
obrero: Manual laborer carrying out heavy or industrial tasks in factories or construction.
jornalero: Day laborer hired and paid by the day for seasonal or informal work.
empleado: Employee working for a company or shop in office, retail, or administrative roles.
Definition in Spanish
Obrero temporal o no especializado que realiza trabajos manuales sencillos; en sentido figurado coincide con el "peón" del ajedrez.
Word origin
From Latin pedōnem 'foot soldier' (ped- 'foot'), which in the Romance languages shifted to mean low-ranking physical workers and later gave the chess pawn sense.
Usage tips
- Peón implies unskilled or temporary manual labor and can sound dismissive, so in polite contexts speakers prefer obrero, trabajador, or an explicit job title.