Inklingo

How to Say "company" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “company” is “empresa” — use 'empresa' to refer to a commercial organization or business, especially a larger one.

empresa🔊A1

Use 'empresa' to refer to a commercial organization or business, especially a larger one.

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compañíaA2

Use 'compañía' to mean the state of being with someone, or a business/firm, particularly in a more general or less formal sense than 'empresa'. It can also refer to a group of performers.

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firma🔊B1

Use 'firma' to refer to a commercial organization, often one that provides professional services like law or accounting.

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visita🔊A2

Use 'visita' when referring to guests or people who are visiting you.

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sociedad🔊B2

Use 'sociedad' to refer to a business or commercial firm, especially when discussing its legal structure or formation.

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corporativo🔊B1

Use 'corporativo' as an adjective to describe something related to a large company or corporation, like 'company policy'.

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English → Spanish

empresa

em-PREH-sahemˈpɾesa

nounA1general
Use 'empresa' to refer to a commercial organization or business, especially a larger one.
A brightly colored, stylized corporate building with large windows and a distinct, simple geometric symbol above the entrance, symbolizing a commercial organization.

Examples

Trabajo para una empresa de software muy grande.

I work for a very large software company.

Queremos fundar nuestra propia empresa el próximo año.

We want to start our own business next year.

El presidente de la empresa dio un discurso sobre las ventas.

The company president gave a speech about sales.

Always Feminine

Remember that 'empresa' is always a feminine word, so you must use feminine articles and adjectives with it (e.g., 'la empresa', 'una empresa pequeña').

Gender Error

Mistake: “El empresa es grande.”

Correction: La empresa es grande. (Remember the ending '-a' often indicates feminine gender in Spanish nouns.)

compañía

nounA2general
Use 'compañía' to mean the state of being with someone, or a business/firm, particularly in a more general or less formal sense than 'empresa'. It can also refer to a group of performers.

Examples

Gracias por tu compañía, me siento mucho mejor.

Thanks for your company, I feel much better.

firma

FEER-mahˈfiɾma

nounB1general
Use 'firma' to refer to a commercial organization, often one that provides professional services like law or accounting.
A tall, modern, stylized skyscraper representing a large corporate business, set against a bright blue sky.

Examples

Trabaja para una firma de abogados muy prestigiosa.

She works for a very prestigious law firm.

Nuestra firma exporta productos a toda Europa.

Our company exports products all over Europe.

Esta es una firma de ropa de alta calidad.

This is a high-quality clothing brand.

Business Terminology

In business contexts, 'firma' often sounds more formal or specialized than 'empresa' (company) or 'negocio' (business).

visita

bee-SEE-tahbiˈsi.ta

nounA2general
Use 'visita' when referring to guests or people who are visiting you.
A storybook illustration showing a smiling person sitting comfortably on a living room sofa, accepting a cup of tea offered by the host standing nearby.

Examples

¡Tenemos visita! Pasa la visita a la sala, por favor.

We have guests! Please take the guests into the living room.

Ella es mi visita de hoy.

She is my visitor today.

Fixed Gender

Even if the guest is male, the word 'visita' remains feminine ('la visita'). You can say 'El señor es mi visita' (The man is my guest).

sociedad

soh-see-eh-DAHDso.sjeˈðað

nounB2formal
Use 'sociedad' to refer to a business or commercial firm, especially when discussing its legal structure or formation.
A high quality storybook illustration of a stylized, colorful commercial office building with large windows, representing a business firm.

Examples

Crearon una sociedad limitada para reducir riesgos.

They created a limited company (LTD) to reduce risks.

Necesitas registrar la sociedad con el gobierno.

You need to register the company with the government.

Business Acronyms

You will often see 'S.A.' (Sociedad Anónima) or 'S.L.' (Sociedad Limitada) used after a business name, indicating the type of legal company structure.

corporativo

kor-po-ra-TEE-bokoɾpoɾaˈtiβo

adjectiveB1general
Use 'corporativo' as an adjective to describe something related to a large company or corporation, like 'company policy'.
A professional leather briefcase and a sleek office chair in a bright, modern setting.

Examples

Tengo una cuenta de correo corporativo.

I have a corporate email account.

La imagen corporativa de la empresa es muy moderna.

The company's corporate image is very modern.

Los empleados deben seguir el código corporativo.

Employees must follow the corporate code.

Matching the Noun

This word needs to match the gender of the thing you are describing. Use 'corporativo' for masculine words (like 'correo') and 'corporativa' for feminine words (like 'imagen').

Placement after the Noun

In Spanish, this word almost always comes after the thing it describes, unlike in English where 'corporate' comes first.

Using the English 'Corporate'

Mistake: “Mi corporate oficina.”

Correction: Mi oficina corporativa. Remember to put the adjective after the noun and change the 'o' to an 'a' for feminine words.

Business vs. Social Company

The most common confusion is between 'compañía' and 'empresa' when referring to a business. While both can mean 'company', 'empresa' is generally preferred for commercial organizations, especially larger ones, whereas 'compañía' is more versatile and can also mean 'companionship'.

Related Translations

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