negocios
“negocios” means “business” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
business
Also: dealings
📝 In Action
Estoy en Colombia por negocios.
A2I'm in Colombia on business.
El mundo de los negocios cambia muy rápido.
B1The world of business changes very quickly.
Hacer negocios con ellos es siempre un placer.
B1Doing business with them is always a pleasure.
businesses
Also: stores, deals
📝 In Action
Mis tíos tienen varios negocios en el centro de la ciudad.
B1My aunt and uncle have several businesses in the city center.
La crisis afectó a los pequeños negocios.
B1The crisis affected small businesses.
Hemos cerrado dos negocios importantes esta semana.
B2We have closed two important deals this week.
affairs
Also: business, schemes
📝 In Action
No te metas en mis negocios, por favor.
B2Don't get involved in my affairs, please.
Se rumorea que tiene negocios turbios con el gobierno.
C1It's rumored that he has shady dealings with the government.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: negocios
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'negocios' to mean personal matters or affairs?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'negotium'. This word is a fun one: it's made from 'nec' (not) + 'otium' (leisure or rest). So, 'business' is literally 'not-rest'—the opposite of taking it easy!
First recorded: Around the 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'negocios' and 'empresa'?
Great question! 'Empresa' specifically means a company or firm, usually a formal organization. 'Negocios' is a much broader term. It can mean the general activity of 'business' ('viaje de negocios'), multiple companies ('tiene varios negocios'), or specific deals ('cerramos dos negocios'). A small shop is more likely to be called a 'negocio' than an 'empresa'.
Why is it 'negocios' (plural) when I mean 'business' (singular) in English?
This is a common point of confusion! When English uses 'business' as a big, uncountable idea (like in 'the world of business' or 'I'm here on business'), Spanish uses the plural form 'negocios'. Think of it as referring to all the 'business activities' or 'dealings' involved.