Inklingo

How to Say "industrious" in Spanish

English → Spanish

trabajador

trah-bah-hah-DOR/tɾaβaxaˈðoɾ/

adjectiveA2Formal description of someone busy and productive
Use this masculine singular form when describing one male person or a group where the gender is mixed or unknown but grammatically masculine.
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/

adjectiveA1A more formal way to describe a productive person
Use this feminine singular form when describing one female person.
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.

trabajadores

trah-bah-hah-DOH-rehs/tɾaβaxaˈðoɾes/

adjectiveA2Formal way of saying 'hardworking'
Use this masculine plural form when describing more than one male person, or a mixed-gender group.
A determined child with sweat dripping, vigorously pulling a rope attached to a heavy sled piled high with colorful objects, showing extreme effort.

Examples

Son estudiantes muy trabajadores y siempre entregan a tiempo.

They are very hardworking students and always hand things in on time.

Las hormigas son insectos extremadamente trabajadores.

Ants are extremely industrious insects.

Adjective Agreement

As an adjective, 'trabajadores' must match the number and gender of the noun it describes. Since it ends in '-es', it's describing a plural, masculine noun (or a mixed group).

Forgetting the Plural Ending

Mistake: “Ellos son trabajador. (Missing the agreement)”

Correction: Ellos son trabajadores. (The description must agree with the 'ellos'.)

Gender and Number Agreement

The most common mistake is using the wrong ending for 'trabajador'. Remember that Spanish adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Always check if you are talking about a male, female, or multiple people.

Related Translations

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