propietario único
/pɾopjetaɾjo uniko/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the English phrase 'sole proprietor' is translated as propietario único.
The term refers to a person who controls a sole proprietorship.
Meaning: person who controls a sole proprietorship (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of propietario (owner/proprietor) and único (sole/only).
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase propietario individual is used in different regions to mean sole proprietor.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the proprietor is female, use the feminine form propietaria única. To refer to multiple sole proprietors, both the noun and the adjective must be pluralized to propietarios únicos.
Did you know?
- While propietario único is grammatically correct, in many Spanish-speaking business contexts, you will hear the term autónomo used to describe this type of worker. In Spain, specifically, an autónomo is the standard way to refer to a self-employed individual or sole proprietor.
- In legal documents across Latin America, you might see the phrase persona física con actividad empresarial instead of a simple term for 'sole proprietor'. This long phrase describes the legal status of a person acting as a business entity.
- In some contexts, if you say you are a dueño instead of a propietario, you sound more informal. While both mean 'owner', propietario carries a more formal, legal weight suitable for official documentation.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are discussing Daniel's new business venture.
- DanielVoy a abrir mi propio negocio de diseño.I am going to open my own design business.
- María¿Tendrás socios o serás el propietario único?Will you have partners or will you be the sole proprietor?
- DanielPrefiero ser el propietario único por ahora.I prefer to be the sole proprietor for now.
- MaríaEso te dará más control sobre el proyecto.That will give you more control over the project.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
