peón
“peón” means “pawn” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
pawn
Also: pawn
📝 In Action
He perdido un peón en el tercer movimiento de la partida de ajedrez.
B1I lost a pawn on the third move of the chess match.
En este juego político, él es solo un peón de los poderosos.
B2In this political game, he is just a pawn of the powerful.
Si tu peón llega al otro lado del tablero, puedes cambiarlo por otra pieza.
B1If your pawn reaches the other side of the board, you can exchange it for another piece.
laborer
Also: farmhand
📝 In Action
El peón de albañil cargaba los ladrillos con mucho esfuerzo.
B2The construction laborer was carrying the bricks with great effort.
Necesitan contratar a varios peones para la cosecha de este año.
B2They need to hire several laborers for this year's harvest.
Mi abuelo trabajó como peón en una hacienda de café.
C1My grandfather worked as a laborer on a coffee plantation.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "peón" in Spanish:
farmhand→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: peón
Question 1 of 3
In a game of chess, what is a 'peón'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'pedis' (foot). Originally, it referred to someone who traveled or fought on foot rather than on horseback.
First recorded: 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'peón' only refer to men?
While 'peón' is traditionally masculine, a female laborer can be called 'la peón' or 'una peona', though 'peona' is less common in some regions.
Is 'peón' an insulting word?
Not usually. It is a standard term for a level of employment. However, calling someone a 'peón' in a metaphorical sense (like 'you're just a pawn') can be used to say they aren't important.
What is the difference between 'peón' and 'obrero'?
An 'obrero' is a general term for any worker. A 'peón' is specifically a worker who does manual labor that doesn't require a specific trade or license.