vocacional
/bokaθjoˈnal/
vocacional is the Spanish word for vocational.
This adjective is used to describe something relating to a particular career path or a strong feeling of suitability for a specific profession. For example, in educational contexts, the phrase orientación vocacional is the standard way to refer to vocational guidance or career counseling.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective is invariant in gender, but takes the suffix -es to form the plural, resulting in vocacionales.
How do you pronounce it?
/bokaθjoˈnal/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, vocacional often refers specifically to a religious calling to become a priest or nun rather than just a professional career. A centro vocacional can be a place where people discern if they have a calling to the clergy.
- The word vocacional shares a distant-looking ancestor with the Latin root for 'calling' or 'shouting', from the Proto-Indo-European root *wekʷ- which means 'to call'.
- While English often uses 'vocational' to describe technical or manual training, in Spanish, vocacional focuses more on the internal 'calling' or passion one feels for a job.
Examples in context
- En mi país, los jóvenes se enfocan en encontrar una carrera vocacional que les apasione.In my country, young people focus on finding a vocational career that they are passionate about.
- Siento una fuerte inclinación vocacional por la medicina.I feel a strong vocational inclination towards medicine.
- El profesor ofrece una orientación vocacional para los alumnos.The teacher offers vocational guidance for the students.
- Su pasión por el arte es puramente vocacional.His passion for art is purely vocational.
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are discussing their future career choices at a coffee shop.
- Lucía¿Crees que la carrera de derecho es para ti?Do you think a law career is for you?
- DanielNo, no siento ese llamado vocacional.No, I don't feel that vocational calling.
- LucíaEntonces, ¿qué es lo que realmente te gusta?Then, what is it that you really like?
- DanielMe gustaría trabajar en la música.I would like to work in music.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry vocacional, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vocacional, CC BY-SA 4.0.
