Inklingo

How to Say "businesses" in Spanish

English → Spanish

negocios

/ne-GO-syos//neˈɣo.sjos/

NounB1General
Use 'negocios' when referring to multiple commercial ventures, stores, or enterprises, often in a more general or plural sense.
A colorful illustration of a street row featuring three different small, distinct storefronts, representing multiple commercial enterprises.

Examples

Mis tíos tienen varios negocios en el centro de la ciudad.

My aunt and uncle have several businesses in the city center.

La crisis afectó a los pequeños negocios.

The crisis affected small businesses.

Hemos cerrado dos negocios importantes esta semana.

We have closed two important deals this week.

Singular vs. Plural

Mistake: “Using the English logic: 'He has a lot of business'.”

Correction: In Spanish, if you mean multiple companies or deals, you must use the plural: 'Él tiene muchos negocios'. The singular 'negocio' refers to just one.

empresas

ehm-PREH-sas/emˈpɾe.sas/

NounA1Formal
Use 'empresas' to refer to larger, formal commercial operations or companies, especially when discussing their economic impact or structure.
A colorful storybook illustration showing three distinct, stylized corporate office buildings standing close together, representing different companies.

Examples

Las grandes empresas generan muchos empleos.

Large companies generate many jobs.

Mi hermana trabaja para tres empresas diferentes.

My sister works for three different businesses.

Necesitamos más empresas que inviertan en tecnología.

We need more firms that invest in technology.

Feminine Plural

Since the singular word 'empresa' is feminine, the plural 'empresas' must be used with feminine plural articles and adjectives (e.g., 'las empresas buenas').

Singular vs. Plural

Remember that 'empresa' means one company, and 'empresas' means two or more companies. It follows the standard rule of adding an 's' to form the plural.

Gender Confusion

Mistake: “Los empresas”

Correction: Las empresas. Even though it ends in 's', the word is feminine, so use 'las'.

Choosing between 'empresas' and 'negocios'

Learners often confuse 'empresas' and 'negocios' by using 'empresas' for smaller, informal ventures. Remember that 'empresas' typically implies larger, more established companies, while 'negocios' is broader and can include smaller stores or multiple commercial activities.

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