Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pasantía | /pasanˈtia/ | feminine |
| práctica | /ˈpɾaɡtika/ | feminine |
An internship is a job taken by a student. To express the act of performing an internship, you typically use the verb hacer (to do/make) with the terms pasantía or prácticas, such as in the phrase hacer una pasantía.
Which one should you use?
While pasantía is used in many parts of Latin America, prácticas (which is often used in the plural) is the more common term for an internship in Spain. Additionally, the term práctica profesional can be used to translate 'professional practice' in formal settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, prácticas is the most common term for internships. In Argentina, pasantías is often used in more formal contexts to describe internships.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the term prácticas to mean an internship, it is almost always used in the plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
/pasanˈtia/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking medical environments, the term internado is used instead of pasantía to describe the specific residency period of a medical student.
- If you say you are doing prácticas in a gym or a sports club, people might think you are rehearsing a routine rather than working an internship.
- The term pasantía shares an etymological root with the word 'pass', suggesting the person is merely 'passing through' a profession before becoming a permanent member.
Examples in context
- Voy a hacer una pasantía en una empresa local.I'm going to do an internship at a local company.This sentence is useful for showing how to use pasantía in a sentence.Tatoeba #6629953 by UsuarioX, translation #239645 by CM
- Estoy buscando una pasantía en una empresa de tecnología.I am looking for an internship at a technology company.
- Mi amiga hizo una pasantía en el Departamento de Recursos Humanos.My friend did an internship in the Human Resources Department.
- Acabo de terminar mi práctica profesional en un bufete de abogados.I just finished my internship at a law firm.
- La universidad exige que realicemos una práctica profesional antes de obtener nuestro título.The university requires us to do an internship before obtaining our degree.
- Voy a hacer prácticas en una agencia de publicidad durante el verano.I'm going to do an internship at an advertising agency during the summer.
- Las prácticas son una excelente oportunidad para adquirir experiencia laboral.Internships are an excellent opportunity to gain work experience.
- La pasantía es remunerada.The internship is paid.
- ¿Dónde conseguiste esa pasantía?Where did you get that internship?
Example conversation
Javier and María are talking about their university requirements.
- JavierMaría, ¿ya conseguiste una pasantía?María, did you get an internship already?
- MaríaSí, Javier, encontré una en una oficina.Yes, Javier, I found one in an office.
- Javier¡Qué bueno! ¿Es una pasantía remunerada?That's great! Is it a paid internship?
- MaríaNo, lamentablemente no me pagan.No, unfortunately they don't pay me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “internship” translations and entries pasantía, práctica, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pasantía, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
