Inklingo

How to Say "hard-working" in Spanish

English → Spanish

trabajador

trah-bah-hah-DOR/tɾaβaxaˈðoɾ/

adjectiveA2general
Use this form when describing a male person or a general, non-gendered group as diligent and putting in a lot of effort.
A diligent farmer wearing a straw hat is kneeling and planting seeds in long, neat rows of soil under a bright sun.

Examples

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.

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).

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).

trabajadora

/tra-ba-ha-DOR-ah//tɾaβaxaˈðoɾa/

adjectiveA1general
Use this form specifically when describing a female person (woman or girl) as diligent and putting in a lot of effort.
A woman diligently tending to a lush vegetable garden, pulling weeds and caring for plants.

Examples

Mi madre es la persona más trabajadora que conozco.

My mother is the most hard-working person I know.

Necesitamos contratar a una secretaria que sea muy trabajadora.

We need to hire a secretary who is very hard-working.

Matching Gender

Because this word ends in 'a', it specifically describes a woman, a girl, or any feminine object. If you were talking about a man, you would use 'trabajador'.

Using it for groups

Mistake: “Ellas son trabajadora.”

Correction: Ellas son trabajadoras. Remember to add an 's' if you are talking about more than one person.

Gender Agreement is Key

The most common mistake is forgetting that Spanish adjectives must agree in gender with the noun they describe. Always check if you are talking about a male ('trabajador') or female ('trabajadora') person.

Related Translations

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