Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| desempleado | /desempleˈado/ | |
| cesante | /θeˈsante/ /seˈsante/ |
|
| parado | /paˈɾado/ | Spain |
All provided forms describe the state of having no job. Desempleado is a common and neutral term for an unemployed person. For a highly formal way to express being without a job, you can use the phrase en situación de desempleo.
What does it mean word for word?
The word desempleado is formed from the prefix des- (un-) and empleado (employed).
Which one should you use?
While desempleado is a neutral term, cesante is often used in more formal, administrative or legal contexts to describe someone who has lost their job due to redundancy or layoffs. In Spain, parado is the most common way to refer to someone who is unemployed.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, parado is the most common term for an unemployed person and the informal phrase en el paro is also frequently used there.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, desempleado must agree in gender with the person being described. When describing a person's current state of being unemployed, use the verb estar rather than ser.
How do you pronounce it?
/desempleˈado/
Did you know?
- In many Latin American countries, if you use the Spanish term parado to mean 'unemployed', people might actually think you mean 'standing still'.
- In Spain, the phrase en el paro is so common that 'el paro' refers not just to the state of being unemployed, but also to the unemployment benefit payments themselves.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, describing oneself as desempleado in a social setting is often softened by adding por ahora (for now) to emphasize the temporary nature of the state.
Examples in context
- Actualmente, Tom está parado.Tom is currently unemployed.This sentence uses parado to describe Tom's current status.Tatoeba #1766980 by Shishir, translation #1362212 by Ynhockey
- Yo también estoy desempleado.I am also unemployed.This sentence uses desempleado to express that the speaker is also unemployed.Tatoeba #2081191 by Shishir, translation #1799299 by wwkudu
- Como estoy desempleado no puedo ahorrar.Since I'm unemployed, I can't save up anything.This sentence uses desempleado to explain a consequence of being without a job.Tatoeba #4553912 by swyter, translation #4543326 by mailohilohi
- Estoy desempleado en este momentoI am unemployed at the moment
- Me encuentro en situación de desempleo y busco nuevas oportunidades laboralesI am in a situation of unemployment and I am seeking new job opportunities
- Lamentablemente, mi contrato terminó y me encuentro en paroUnfortunately, my contract ended and I am unemployed
- No he conseguido trabajo aún, estoy en el paroI haven't found a job yet, I am unemployed
- No tengo trabajo en este momento, estoy sin trabajoI don't have a job at the moment, I am unemployed
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are talking about their current work situation.
- AlejandroHola Elena, ¿sigues desempleado?Hi Elena, are you still unemployed?
- ElenaNo, ya encontré un trabajo nuevo.No, I already found a new job.
- AlejandroQué bueno, porque yo sigo desempleado.That's great, because I am still unemployed.
- ElenaNo te preocupes, pronto tendrás empleo.Don't worry, you will have a job soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “unemployed” translations and entries desempleado, cesante, parado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
