Which one should you use?
While pasante is a common way to express this, other terms like practicante or estudiante en prácticas are also used depending on the specific context and location.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term pasante is more prevalent in Latin America. In Spain, the word becario/a is frequently used and the phrase estudiante en prácticas is common. Additionally, the word practicante is often used instead of pasante in many Spanish-speaking countries, particularly in Spain.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun pasante is invariable in terms of gender, so the word itself does not change whether you are referring to a male or female intern. To specify a male intern, use the masculine article el pasante and for a female intern, use the feminine article la pasante. To make the word plural, add an -s to the end to form pasantes.
How do you pronounce it?
/paˈsante/
Did you know?
- In many Latin American legal systems, a pasante is a specialized role where law students are granted the official authority to perform specific tasks in court before they are fully licensed.
- In some contexts, pasante can refer to a 'boarding student' or someone residing at an institution, a meaning that is entirely separate from the professional internship context.
- The term pasante is derived from the verb pasar, meaning 'to pass'. It originally describes someone 'passing through' a series of rotations or departments to learn a trade.
Examples in context
- Mi hijo es pasante universitario en una empresa de ingeniería.My son is a student intern at an engineering company.
- Soy estudiante en prácticas en un despacho de abogados.I am a student intern at a law firm.
- Nuestra empresa ofrece oportunidades de prácticas para practicantes estudiantiles.Our company provides internship opportunities for student interns.
- Me convertiré en becario/a en el departamento de marketing este verano.I will become a student intern in the marketing department this summer.
- Estoy realizando una pasantía en una empresa de tecnología.I am doing an internship at a technology company.
- El pasante está aprendiendo mucho en la oficina.The student intern is learning a lot in the office.
- Necesitamos un pasante para el departamento de marketing.We need a student intern for the marketing department.
- Ella es una pasante muy dedicada.She is a very dedicated student intern.
Example conversation
Mateo and María are discussing a new hire at their office.
- Mateo¿Quién es el nuevo pasante?Who is the new student intern?
- MaríaEs un chico que viene de la universidad.He is a boy from the university.
- MateoEspero que sea un buen pasante.I hope he is a good student intern.
- MaríaSí, parece ser muy inteligente.Yes, he seems to be very intelligent.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pasante, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pasante, CC BY-SA 4.0.
