becario
/beˈkaɾjo/masculine
The Spanish word for intern is becario. Wiktionary also lists pasante and practicante.
Meaning: student or recent graduate who works in order to gain experience in their chosen field (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| becario | /beˈkaɾjo/ | masculine |
| pasante | /paˈsante/ | feminine, masculine |
| practicante | /pɾaɡtiˈkante/ | feminine, masculine |
| persona en prácticas | /peɾsona en pɾaɡtikas/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
All provided terms refer to a student or recent graduate working to gain experience in their chosen field.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word often depends on the specific nature of the role. pasante is frequently used for interns in professional fields like medicine or law. practicante focuses on the person performing prácticas, which refers to practical training or an internship as part of their studies.
Is it said differently in some regions?
becario is the most common way to refer to an intern in Spain. In many Latin American countries, pasante is very common.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
persona en prácticas is a gender-neutral way to refer to an intern in a formal or administrative context.
How do you pronounce it?
/beˈkaɾjo/
Did you know?
- The term becario has become a common trope in Spanish cinema and social media to describe underpaid workers who perform menial tasks regardless of their degree.
- In the medical field, pasante often refers to the mandatory social service year that graduates must complete in rural areas in countries like Mexico.
- While English uses 'intern' as a general term, the Spanish word becario literally translates to 'grant holder', as it is derived from beca, meaning a scholarship or grant.
Examples in context
- ¿Eres becario también?Are you an intern, too?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is also an intern using becario.Tatoeba #11903289 by arh, translation #11901884 by CK
- el pasante del médicoMedical internThis sentence is useful for describing a medical intern using pasante.
- María es una becaria en una importante empresa de marketing.María is an intern at a major marketing company.
- Estoy haciendo una pasantía en una nueva startup tecnológica.I am doing an internship at a new tech startup.
- Laura está trabajando en prácticas en una agencia de diseño gráfico.Laura is working as an intern at a graphic design agency.
- El becario tiene que preparar los informes.The intern has to prepare the reports.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking in an office hallway.
- MateoHola, Elena. ¿Quién es el chico nuevo?Hello, Elena. Who is the new guy?
- ElenaEs el nuevo becario de marketing.He is the new marketing intern.
- MateoParece muy trabajador.He seems very hard-working.
- ElenaSí, Mateo, está haciendo un gran trabajo.Yes, Mateo, he is doing a great job.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “intern” translations and entries becario, pasante, practicante, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries becario, en, pasante, persona, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
