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desempleo

deh-sem-PLEH-oh/desemˈpleo/

“desempleo” means “unemployment” in Spanish (The general state of being without a job.).

unemployment

Also: joblessness, unemployment benefits
NounmB1
A sad person sitting on a park bench during the day while others in the background walk to work.

📝 In Action

El desempleo ha bajado mucho este año.

A2

Unemployment has gone down a lot this year.

Muchos jóvenes sufren por el desempleo juvenil.

B1

Many young people suffer from youth unemployment.

Perdí mi trabajo y ahora estoy cobrando el desempleo.

B2

I lost my job and now I am collecting unemployment benefits.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • paro (unemployment (very common in Spain))
  • desocupación (joblessness)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • tasa de desempleo – unemployment rate
  • seguro de desempleo – unemployment insurance
  • subsidio de desempleo – unemployment benefit

Idioms & Expressions

  • ir al desempleo – to become unemployed

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "desempleo" in Spanish:

joblessness→unemployment benefits→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: desempleo

Question 1 of 3

In Spain, which word is more common in casual conversation to mean unemployment?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Formed by adding the prefix 'des-' (meaning 'undoing' or 'opposite') to the word 'empleo' (employment), which comes from the Latin 'implicare', meaning 'to involve or entangle'.

First recorded: 19th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: chômage (not direct), but related to 'emploi'English: disemployment (rare)

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'paro' and 'desempleo'?

Technically, they mean the same thing. However, 'desempleo' is more formal and used in Latin America and official documents. 'Paro' is the standard word used in Spain.

Can 'desempleo' be plural?

Rarely. We usually talk about unemployment as a general concept ('el desempleo'). You wouldn't say 'los desempleos' unless comparing different types of unemployment in a technical study.

Is 'desempleo' a masculine or feminine word?

It is masculine. You should always say 'el desempleo'.