tarea
/taˈɾea/feminine
In Spanish, homework is translated as tarea or deberes.
Meaning: work that is done at home (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tarea | /taˈɾea/ | feminine |
| deberes | /deˈbeɾes/ | Argentina, Spain, Uruguay, masculine, plural |
Both words refer to work assigned to be completed at home. To say 'to do homework', use the verb hacer with either la tarea or los deberes.
Which one should you use?
tarea is a singular noun, while deberes is a plural noun. In most of Latin America, the singular tarea is the standard term, whereas in Spain and parts of the Southern Cone, the plural deberes is preferred.
Is it said differently in some regions?
deberes is the standard term used in Spain, Argentina and Uruguay. tarea is the standard term used in most of Latin America.
How does it change in a sentence?
tarea is a feminine singular noun. deberes is a masculine plural noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/taˈɾea/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying hacer tarea without an article. Instead, use the definite article to say hacer la tarea or hacer los deberes.
Did you know?
- The word tarea has an unexpected connection to the Arabic word for 'to throw', suggesting the original concept of a task was something 'thrown' at a person.
- The word deberes shares its root with the verb deber, which means 'to owe' or 'must', implying that homework is something one 'owes' to their education.
- In some contexts, tarea can refer to a specific amount of work to be done in a day, such as in agriculture, rather than just schoolwork.
Examples in context
- Haz tu tarea ya.Do your homework now.This sentence shows how to use tarea as a direct object in a command.Tatoeba #1327660 by marcelostockle, translation #570180 by CK
- No hice mi tarea.I didn't do my homework.This sentence demonstrates using tarea with a possessive adjective in the past tense.Tatoeba #1540067 by marcelostockle, translation #627258 by CM
- Tom odia la tarea.Tom hates homework.This sentence shows how tarea functions as the object of the verb 'hates'.Tatoeba #9462482 by ignacio, translation #2548595 by CK
- ¡Buena suerte con tus tareas!Good luck with your homework!
- 373 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are talking about school in the living room.
- María¿Ya terminaste la tarea de matemáticas?Did you already finish the math homework?
- AlejandroNo, la tarea está muy difícil.No, the homework is very difficult.
- MaríaYo puedo ayudarte con tu tarea.I can help you with your homework.
- AlejandroGracias, María. Eres muy amable.Thanks, María. You are very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “homework” translations and entries tarea, deberes, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tarea, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
