profesión

pro-fe-SYOHNpɾofeˈsjon

“profesión” means “profession” in Spanish (a job requiring specialized training).

profession, occupation

Also: career

NounfA1

A cartoon illustration of an engineer or architect wearing a yellow hard hat and holding a blue rolled-up blueprint, symbolizing a job requiring specialized training.

📝 In Action

Mi hermana eligió la abogacía como profesión.

My sister chose law as a profession.

¿Cuál es tu profesión? Necesito saber para el formulario.

What is your occupation? I need to know for the form.

Es una profesión muy demandante, pero gratificante.

It is a very demanding, but rewarding, career.

Word Connections

Synonyms

carrera (career, course of study)
oficio (trade, craft (often skilled manual labor))
ocupación (occupation, job)

Common Collocations

ejercer una profesión – to practice a profession
cambiar de profesión – to change careers

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Often confused with carreranear-synonyms

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✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: profesión

Question 1 of 2

Which word is the most formal way to ask someone what they do for a living?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

profesional(professional) — Adjective / Noun

profesar(to profess, to practice (a faith or skill)) — Verb

🎵 Rhymes▼

ocasióndecisión

📚 Etymology▼

This word comes from the Latin term *professio*, which literally meant 'a public declaration.' Over time, it came to mean the declaration of one's chosen vocation or trade.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: professionFrench: professionPortuguese: profissão

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'profesión' and 'carrera'?

'Profesión' is the job or occupation itself (like being a doctor). 'Carrera' can mean the university degree you study to get that job (e.g., medical school) OR the entire path of work you follow throughout your life (your career).