Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| autónomo | /auˈtonomo/ |
| por cuenta propia | /poɾ ˌkwenta ˈpɾopja/ |
| por libre (freelance) |
These terms are used to describe someone working for themselves rather than for an employer. In Spain, you may encounter the specific expression dar de alta como autónomo when referring to the official process of registering with the social security system to work for oneself.
Which one should you use?
While autónomo is a single-word adjective, por cuenta propia is a prepositional phrase that functions as an adverbial or adjectival phrase to mean "on one's own account".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term autónomo is a formal translation for a male who is self-employed. Similarly, trabajador independiente is a formal way to say "self-employed". The phrase por cuenta propia is often used in more formal, administrative or legal contexts. In contrast, por libre is a more colloquial way to express working independently or as a freelancer.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective autónomo must agree in gender and number with the person or group being described: autónoma for a woman, autónomos for a group of men or a mixed-gender group and autónomas for a group of women.
How do you pronounce it?
/auˈtonomo/
Did you know?
- In Spain, being an autónomo is not just a job description but a specific legal and tax category with a mandatory monthly fee paid to the state regardless of earnings.
- The phrase por libre is used not only for jobs but also in sports to describe an athlete who competes without being signed to a professional team.
- While autónomo is the standard term in Spain, people in Mexico and other Latin American countries are far more likely to use trabajador independiente.
Examples in context
- Soy autónomo y trabajo como consultor internacional.I am self-employed and work as an international consultant.
- Soy un trabajador independiente y gestiono mi propio negocio.I am a self-employed worker and manage my own business.
- Trabajo por mi cuenta como diseñador gráfico.I work for myself as a graphic designer.
- Mi hermana es trabajadora por cuenta propia y tiene una tienda de ropa.My sister is self-employed and owns a clothing store.
- Mi padre es autónomo y tiene un pequeño restaurante.My father is self-employed and owns a small restaurant.
- Conozco a una mujer autónoma que administra su propio estudio de yoga.I know a self-employed woman who runs her own yoga studio.
- Como trabajador independiente, puedo establecer mis propios horarios.As a self-employed worker, I can set my own schedule.
- Trabajo por mi cuenta, así que tengo flexibilidad en mi jornada laboral.I work for myself, so I have flexibility in my work schedule.
- Mi vecino es trabajador por cuenta propia y tiene un negocio de reparación de automóviles.My neighbor is self-employed and has an auto repair business.
- Ahora soy autónomo.I am self-employed now.
- Mi hermano es autónomo desde hace un año.My brother has been self-employed for a year.
- ¿Eres autónomo o trabajas para una empresa?Are you self-employed or do you work for a company?
Example conversation
Two friends are catching up at a cafe.
- Lucía¿Cómo va tu nuevo trabajo?How is your new job going?
- AlejandroMuy bien, ya soy autónomo.Very well, I am self-employed now.
- Lucía¡Qué bueno! Me alegro mucho por ti, Alejandro.That's great! I am very happy for you, Alejandro.
- AlejandroGracias, Lucía. Es un gran cambio.Thanks, Lucía. It is a big change.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “self-employed” translations and entries autónomo, por cuenta propia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
