How to Say "employer" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “employer” is “patrón” — use 'patrón' when referring to your direct boss or supervisor in a business setting, especially in more informal or everyday conversations.
Use 'patrón' when referring to your direct boss or supervisor in a business setting, especially in more informal or everyday conversations.
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Use 'empresario' to refer to the owner of a company or business, the person who provides employment, often in a broader or more formal economic context.
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Examples
Mi patrón es muy estricto con la hora de llegada.
My boss is very strict about the arrival time.
em-pre-SA-ryoempɾeˈsaɾjo
Examples
El empresario fundó su primera compañía a los veinte años.
The businessman founded his first company at age twenty.
Es un empresario muy respetado en el sector tecnológico.
He is a very respected businessman in the tech sector.
Muchos empresarios asistieron a la conferencia sobre economía.
Many business owners attended the conference on economics.
Male vs. Female
This specific word 'empresario' refers to a man. If you are talking about a woman, you must change the ending to -a to make it 'empresaria'.
Using 'el' or 'un'
Like most jobs, use 'un' when describing what someone is (e.g., 'Es un empresario'), but use 'el' when talking about a specific person we already know.
Business vs. Businessman
Mistake: “Él tiene un empresario exitoso.”
Correction: Él tiene una empresa exitosa (o él es un empresario exitoso).
Patrón vs. Empresario
Learners often confuse 'patrón' and 'empresario'. Remember that 'patrón' usually refers to your direct supervisor or boss, while 'empresario' refers to the owner of the business or someone who creates jobs on a larger scale.
Related Translations
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