Spanish word

trabajo

Pronunciation

IPA/tɾaˈβaxo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounwork

Example

Estoy buscando trabajo.

I'm looking for work.

Illustration for trabajo (work)

More examples

Tengo mucho trabajo hoy.

I have a lot of work today.

Core concept

Effortful activity to produce goods or provide services.

Common phrases

  • buscar trabajo

    look for work

  • tener trabajo

    have work

  • perder el trabajo

    lose one's job

Similar words

empleo: Employment relationship that grants a regular salary or wage from an employer.
ocupación: Means of livelihood consisting of regular work or a chosen profession.
puesto: Assigned post in an organization carrying specific responsibilities and status.
carrera: Career-long accumulation of roles, skills, and accomplishments in a profession.

Definition in Spanish

Actividad, remunerada o no, que implica esfuerzo para producir bienes o prestar servicios; también se usa para nombrar el empleo o puesto de una persona.

Word origin

From Latin tripalium, originally a three-staked instrument of torture, the word shifted via Romance languages from a sense of painful exertion to mean labor and employment.

Usage tips

  • To ask someone's occupation Spanish speakers say '¿A qué te dedicas?' or '¿En qué trabajas?', and a single assignment is usually called 'tarea' rather than trabajo.

Other meanings

  • tasknoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word