trabajador
/tɾabaxaˈdoɾ/masculine
The English word 'worker' can be translated into Spanish as trabajador. Wiktionary also lists obrero.
Meaning: person who performs labor (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| trabajador | /tɾabaxaˈdoɾ/ | masculine |
| obrero | /oˈbɾeɾo/ | masculine |
The term refers to a person who performs labor. Notably, when used as an adjective rather than a noun, trabajador means 'hard-working' or 'industrious'.
Which one should you use?
trabajador is a general term for anyone who works. In contrast, obrero specifically refers to a manual laborer, such as a factory or construction worker.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is trabajador. To refer to a female worker, use the feminine form trabajadora. For a group of male workers or a mixed-gender group, use the plural trabajadores. If the group consists only of female workers, use the plural trabajadoras.
How do you pronounce it?
/tɾabaxaˈdoɾ/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word obrero is often used in political contexts to refer to the working class or the proletariat, rather than just a specific job title.
- The word 'obrero' is a direct relative of the Spanish word 'obra', which means 'a work of art' or 'a construction work'.
- While obrero focuses on the physical act of labor, the related term operario is often used in modern industrial settings to describe a skilled machine operator.
Examples in context
- Tom es un buen trabajador.Tom is a good worker.This sentence uses trabajador to describe Tom.Tatoeba #723867 by Shishir, translation #37194 by CK
- Es nuestro mejor trabajador.He's our best worker.This sentence uses trabajador to describe a specific employee.Tatoeba #13695128 by Shishir, translation #13723564 by araneo
- Su hermano es muy trabajador.His brother is a hard worker.This sentence uses trabajador as an adjective to mean 'hard-working'.Tatoeba #7031098 by Schuager, translation #287178 by CK
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are discussing a new hire at a construction site.
- Alejandro¿Viste al nuevo trabajador?Did you see the new worker?
- ElenaSí, Alejandro, parece muy capaz.Yes, Alejandro, he seems very capable.
- AlejandroEspero que sea un buen trabajador.I hope he is a good worker.
- ElenaYo también lo creo.I think so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “worker” translations and entries trabajador, obrero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
