Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| oficina | /ofiˈθina/ /ofiˈsina/ |
feminine |
| sede | /ˈsede/ | feminine |
| despacho | /desˈpat͡ʃo/ | masculine |
The term oficina is the most common and versatile way to refer to a standard office space or a department within a company.
Which one should you use?
While oficina is a general term, despacho often refers specifically to a private office or a professional's workspace, such as a lawyer's office. If you are referring to the headquarters or the main physical location of an organization rather than a single room, use sede. To emphasize the idea of a 'workplace' rather than a specific office, you can use lugar de trabajo.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Spanish-speaking countries, such as Argentina and Uruguay, the term consultorio is commonly used, primarily when referring to a professional office like a doctor's office or a consulting room.
How does it change in a sentence?
Oficina is a feminine noun, and its plural is oficinas. Despacho is a masculine noun, and its plural is despachos. Sede is a feminine noun, and its plural is sedes.
How do you pronounce it?
/ofiˈθina/
Did you know?
- The word sede is etymologically related to the English word 'sedentary', as both come from roots meaning 'to sit'.
- The word oficina traces its roots back to the Latin word for a 'workshop', which originally implied a place of manual production rather than a modern administrative space.
- In certain contexts, despacho can refer to the act of 'dispatching' something, making the word for an office also a word for the process of handling tasks.
Examples in context
- ¿Voy a tu oficina?Shall I come to your office?This sentence is useful for asking if one should go to someone's office.Tatoeba #480039 by Raimondi, translation #70622 by CM
- Está en la oficina.He's at the office.This sentence is useful for stating someone is at the office.Tatoeba #975946 by Shishir, translation #975728 by CN
- Esta es mi oficina.This is my office.This sentence is useful for identifying one's own office.Tatoeba #1890399 by teskmon, translation #430158 by witbrock
- Trabaja en una oficina en el centro de la ciudad.He works in an office in the city center.
- Necesito una cita en la oficina del doctor.I need an appointment at the doctor's office.
- Voy a reunirme con el director en su despacho.I'm going to meet with the director in his office.
- El abogado atiende a sus clientes en el despacho.The lawyer meets with his clients in his office.
- Vamos a hacer una remodelación en el lugar de trabajo.We are going to do a renovation at the workplace.
- Hoy tengo una cita en el consultorio del dentista.Today I have an appointment at the dentist's office.
- Siempre atiende a sus pacientes en su consultorio.He always sees his patients in his office.
- 397 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and María are talking in a hallway at work.
- Mateo¿Dónde está tu oficina, María?Where is your office, María?
- MaríaMi oficina está al final del pasillo.My office is at the end of the hallway.
- MateoEs una oficina muy bonita.It is a very pretty office.
- MaríaGracias, Mateo.Thank you, Mateo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “office” translations and entries oficina, sede, despacho, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries despacho, oficina, sede, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
