turno
/ˈtuɾno/masculine
The English word 'shift' (meaning a change of workers) is translated into Spanish as turno. If unsure, use turno. Wiktionary also lists jornada.
Meaning: change of workers (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| turno | /ˈtuɾno/ | masculine |
| jornada | /xoɾˈnada/ | feminine |
The word turno is used to refer to a work shift or to one's 'turn' in a sequence, such as 'It is your turn'. To specify different times of day, you can use these phrases: turno de mañana for a morning shift, turno de tarde for an afternoon shift or turno de noche and turno nocturno for a night shift. Related verbs include transmudarse to change position and cambiar to change gears.
Which one should you use?
While both turno and jornada can refer to a work shift, turno refers to the specific time slot or rotation, such as the night shift. In contrast, jornada refers to the total duration of the workday or the length of the working day.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtuɾno/
Did you know?
- In some Latin American countries, turno is used to describe a medical appointment time, such as 'having a turn' with a doctor.
- The word jornada shares an ancestor with the English word 'journey'.
- The word jornada is rooted in the word for 'day' and historically referred to the distance a person could walk or travel in a single day.
Examples in context
- Hay un turno nocturno.There is a night shift.This sentence is useful for mentioning a night shift using turno.Tatoeba #6701261 by arh, translation #8958590 by Nylez
- Tu turno acaba a las dos y media.Your shift ends at 2:30.This sentence is useful for stating when a turno ends.Tatoeba #5769307 by arh, translation #3831383 by CK
- Soy la enfermera del turno de noche.I am the night shift nurse.This sentence is useful for describing a nurse on the night shift using turno.Tatoeba #10111015 by manufrutos, translation #9943103 by NurseMeeks
- ¿En qué turno trabajas hoy?What shift are you working today?
- Habrá un cambio de turno mañanaThere will be a shift change tomorrow
- Trabajo en una jornada nocturnaI work the night shift
- Voy a empezar mi turnito de la tardeI'm about to start my little afternoon shift
- ¿A qué hora comienza tu turno mañana?What time does your shift start tomorrow?
- Empiezo mi turno a las 9 de la mañana.I start my shift at 9 a.m.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are discussing their work schedule at a cafe.
- Sofía¿Qué turno tienes hoy, Mateo?What shift do you have today, Mateo?
- MateoEmpiezo el turno de tarde a las tres.I start the afternoon shift at three.
- SofíaYo termino mi turno muy temprano.I finish my shift very early.
- MateoQué suerte tienes, Sofía.You are so lucky, Sofia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shift” translations and entries turno, jornada, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jornada, turno, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
