trabajador

/trah-bah-hah-DOR/

worker

As a noun, trabajador means 'worker,' referring generally to a person who works.

trabajador(noun)

mA1

worker

General term for a person who works

employee

A person hired by a company

Also:

laborer

Manual or physical worker

📝 In Action

Necesitamos un trabajador para el turno de la noche.

We need a worker for the night shift.

La empresa tiene cien trabajadores en total.

The company has one hundred employees in total.

Word Connections

Synonyms

empleado (employee)
obrero (laborer)

Antonyms

desempleado (unemployed person)

Common Collocations

trabajador temporal – temporary worker
derechos del trabajador – worker's rights

💡 Grammar Points

Forming the Feminine

To talk about a female worker, change the ending to 'a': 'la trabajadora'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Noun and Verb

Mistake: "Using 'trabajador' when you mean the action of working ('trabajar')."

Correction: Use 'trabajador' only for the person; use 'trabajar' for the action. Example: 'Me gusta trabajar' (I like to work).

⭐ Usage Tips

Gender Agreement

Remember to match the article: 'el trabajador' (male) and 'los trabajadores' (plural male/mixed group).

A diligent farmer wearing a straw hat is kneeling and planting seeds in long, neat rows of soil under a bright sun.

As an adjective, trabajador describes someone who is 'hard-working' or diligent.

trabajador(adjective)

mA2

hard-working

Describing diligence

diligent

Formal synonym for hard-working

Also:

industrious

Formal description of someone busy and productive

📝 In Action

Mi hermano es muy trabajador y siempre termina sus tareas a tiempo.

My brother is very hard-working and always finishes his tasks on time.

Los estudiantes más trabajadores obtuvieron las mejores notas.

The most diligent students got the best grades.

Word Connections

Synonyms

aplicado (diligent)
diligente (diligent)

Antonyms

perezoso (lazy)
vago (lazy, idle)

Common Collocations

ser trabajador – to be hard-working
persona trabajadora – hard-working person

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective Agreement

Like most Spanish describing words, 'trabajador' must match the person or thing it describes in number (singular/plural) and gender (masculine/feminine). For example: 'una mujer trabajadora' (a hard-working woman).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Incorrect Plural Form

Mistake: "Saying 'trabajadores' for a singular noun, like 'el coche trabajadores'."

Correction: Only add '-es' for plural: 'los coches son trabajadores' (if the cars were somehow diligent), but 'el coche es trabajador' (singular car).

⭐ Usage Tips

Using 'Ser'

Because 'trabajador' describes an essential quality or personality trait, you almost always use the verb 'ser' (to be) with it: 'Él es trabajador'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: trabajador

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'trabajador' as an adjective?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

trabajar(to work) - verb

trabajo(work, job) - noun

trabajadora(female worker, hard-working (f)) - noun/adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'trabajador' and 'empleado'?

'Trabajador' is a broader, more general term for anyone who works or exerts effort. 'Empleado' specifically refers to someone who is hired and paid by a boss or company (an employee). All 'empleados' are 'trabajadores', but not all 'trabajadores' (like a self-employed artist) are 'empleados'.