contratar
“contratar” means “to hire” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to hire, to employ
Also: to take on staff
📝 In Action
La empresa necesita contratar a tres ingenieros nuevos.
A2The company needs to hire three new engineers.
Contratamos un equipo de limpieza para la oficina.
B1We hired a cleaning team for the office.
Si te contratan, tendrás un buen salario.
B1If they employ you, you will have a good salary.
to contract, to take out
Also: to sign up for
📝 In Action
Contratamos el servicio de internet más rápido que tenían.
B1We contracted the fastest internet service they had.
¿Ya contrataste un seguro para tu coche nuevo?
B2Did you already take out insurance for your new car?
Antes de viajar, debemos contratar asistencia médica.
B2Before traveling, we must contract medical assistance.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: contratar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'contratar' in the sense of 'taking out a service'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the Latin verb *contrahere*, which means 'to draw together' or 'to enter into an agreement.' It literally describes the action of bringing two parties together to sign a deal.
First recorded: Mid-13th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre 'contratar' y 'alquilar'?
'Contratar' means to hire a person or sign up for a long-term service (like a phone plan). 'Alquilar' means to rent a physical item for a limited time (like a car or an apartment).
Does 'contratar' always require the personal 'a'?
Only when you are hiring a specific person or group of people. If you are contracting a service or an abstract entity (like 'insurance'), you do not use the 'a': 'Contratamos el seguro' (We contracted the insurance).