Spanish Conversation · Level 3
87 words
Spanish word
precario
Pronunciation
IPA/pɾeˈkaɾjo/
Meaning
- adjectiveunstable
Example
La situación económica es precaria.
The economic situation is unstable.
More examples
Firmó un contrato precario de seis meses.
He signed a six-month precarious contract.
Core concept
A rickety footbridge swaying.
Common phrases
contrato precario
precarious contract
empleo precario
precarious employment
Similar words
inestable: Likely to shift or fluctuate, prone to sudden or repeated changes.
incierto: Not settled or guaranteed, with future results difficult to foresee.
vulnerable: Easily damaged or affected by external shocks or pressures.
Definition in Spanish
Que carece de estabilidad y puede cambiar o empeorar con facilidad.
Word origin
From Latin precarius ('obtained by request', from prex 'prayer' or 'request'), the term originally referred to things granted by favor and now denotes something insecure or uncertain.
Usage tips
- Commonly used with nouns like trabajo, situación, or condiciones (trabajo precario, situación precaria); naming what is unstable reduces vagueness.
Other meanings
- scarceadjective
- insufficientadjective
Related words
- precarizarprecarizeverb
- precariedadprecariousnessnoun