tu profesión
/tu pɾofesjon/from spelling rules
The English phrase "your occupation" is translated into Spanish as tu profesión.
This phrase refers to the specific job or profession that a person has. Common examples of professions you might encounter include Médico(a) (Doctor/Physician), Maestro(a) (Teacher), Abogado(a) (Lawyer), Enfermero(a) (Nurse), Ingeniero(a) (Engineer), Arquitecto(a) (Architect), Escritor(a) (Writer), Periodista (Journalist), Actor/Actriz (Actor/Actress), Cocinero(a) (Chef), Artista (Artist), Bombero(a) (Firefighter), Policía (Police officer) and Estudiante (Student).
Which one should you use?
While tu profesión is a direct way to refer to someone's job, tu ocupación can be used as a direct synonym. If you need to speak formally or are addressing a stranger, you should use su profesión instead of tu profesión.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural form, "your professions", you must change both the possessive adjective and the noun to tus profesiones.
How do you pronounce it?
/tu pɾofesjon/
When do people say it?
In natural, everyday conversation, Spanish speakers are more likely to ask someone what they do for a living by using the question ¿A qué te dedicas? rather than using a noun phrase like tu profesión.
Did you know?
- The word profesión shares an ancient root with the Latin verb fateor, which means 'to confess' or 'to admit'.
- The word ocupación can also describe the act of military seizure, creating potential confusion if used in a political or historical context.
- In Spanish, you do not use the indefinite article un or una when stating your profesión unless you add an adjective to describe it.
Examples in context
- Soy médico.I am a doctor.
- Soy profesor.I am a teacher.
- Me dedico a la medicina.I am dedicated to medicine.
- Dime, ¿cuál es tu profesión?Tell me, what is your profession?
- No conozco tu profesión todavía.I do not know your profession yet.
- Tu profesión es muy interesante.Your profession is very interesting.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are meeting for the first time at a party.
- DanielHola Sofía, ¿cuál es tu profesión?Hi Sofía, what is your occupation?
- SofíaSoy arquitecta, ¿y tú?I am an architect, and you?
- DanielYo soy profesor de historia.I am a history teacher.
- SofíaQué bien, Daniel.That's great, Daniel.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries profesión, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
