contrató
“contrató” means “hired” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
hired, employed
Also: took on
📝 In Action
Mi jefe contrató a tres personas nuevas el mes pasado.
A2My boss hired three new people last month.
Ella contrató un tutor privado para su hijo.
B1She employed a private tutor for her son.
contracted, took out
Also: commissioned
📝 In Action
El gobierno contrató la construcción del nuevo puente.
B2The government contracted the construction of the new bridge.
Usted contrató un seguro de viaje antes de ir a Europa, ¿verdad?
B1You (formal) took out travel insurance before going to Europe, right?
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: contrató
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'contrató' to mean 'took out' a policy?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *contrahere*, meaning 'to draw together' or 'to conclude a transaction or deal.' The meaning shifted in Spanish to specifically refer to making a formal agreement, especially for employment.
First recorded: Medieval Spanish (c. 13th century)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if 'contrató' means 'he,' 'she,' or 'you (formal)'?
You need context! Since Spanish often skips the subject pronoun, you must look at the rest of the sentence or the previous sentences to see who is performing the action. For example, if the previous sentence mentioned 'María,' then 'contrató' refers to 'she' (María).
Is 'contrató' pronounced with a rolling 'R'?
Yes, the 'r' in 'contrató' is a strong, rolled 'r' (trilled R) because it is preceded by the consonant 't' and is part of the 'tr' blend.