empleados
/em-ple-AH-dos/
employees
The noun empleados refers to people who work for a company, or employees.
empleados(noun)
employees
?people working for a company
,staff
?collective group of workers
personnel
?formal business term
📝 In Action
La empresa tiene cien empleados nuevos este año.
A1The company has one hundred new employees this year.
Los empleados de esta tienda son muy amables.
A2The staff (employees) at this store are very kind.
Necesitamos capacitar a todos los empleados antes de la apertura.
B1We need to train all the personnel before the opening.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender and Number
Since this word ends in '-os', it is plural (more than one) and masculine. If you are referring only to female staff, you must use 'empleadas'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'empleados' and 'empleo'
Mistake: "Mi jefe tiene muchos empleos. (My boss has many jobs.)"
Correction: Mi jefe tiene muchos empleados. ('Empleo' means 'job' or 'employment'; 'empleado' is the person who holds the job.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Referring to Mixed Groups
Even if the group of workers includes both men and women, use the masculine plural 'empleados' unless the entire group is female.
When used as an adjective, empleados means something has been used or utilized.
empleados(adjective)
used
?put into service or utilization
,employed
?put to work (often figurative)
utilized
?formal application
📝 In Action
Los métodos empleados en la investigación fueron muy rigurosos.
B2The methods used in the investigation were very rigorous.
El dinero puede ser empleado en mejorar la infraestructura.
B1The money can be employed (used) to improve the infrastructure.
💡 Grammar Points
Past Participle as an Adjective
In this context, 'empleados' is a past participle acting as an adjective. This means it must agree in number and gender with the noun it describes (e.g., 'Las herramientas empleadas' - the tools used).
⭐ Usage Tips
Passive Voice
This adjective form is often found after the verb 'ser' (to be) to form the passive voice, describing what was done to a thing: 'Los recursos fueron empleados' (The resources were used).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: empleados
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'empleados' as a noun (referring to people)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'empleados' and 'trabajadores'?
'Empleados' specifically refers to people who have a formal job relationship with a company, often involving an office or service role. 'Trabajadores' is a more general term for 'workers' or 'laborers' and can apply to anyone doing physical or intellectual work.
Is 'empleados' related to the word 'empleo'?
Yes! 'Empleo' means 'job' or 'employment.' An 'empleado' is a person who has an 'empleo.' They share the same root, meaning 'to put into service.'