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How to Say "tasks" in Spanish

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tareas

tah-REH-ahs/taˈɾeas/

nounA2general
Use 'tareas' for general duties, chores around the house, or homework assignments given by a teacher.
A close-up illustration of hands folding brightly colored clothes, representing general household chores or tasks.

Examples

Tengo que terminar mis tareas antes de salir.

I have to finish my tasks before going out.

Las tareas del hogar son aburridas.

The household chores are boring.

Dividimos las tareas del proyecto entre todos.

We divided the project tasks among everyone.

Mi trabajo incluye varias tareas administrativas.

My job includes several administrative duties.

Connecting to the Context

To clarify what kind of task you mean, always add 'de' plus the context: 'tareas de la casa' (house tasks), 'tareas de oficina' (office tasks).

Confusing 'Tareas' and 'Trabajo'

Mistake: “Tengo muchos trabajos que hacer.”

Correction: Tengo muchas tareas que hacer. ('Trabajos' means 'jobs' or 'works of art.' Use 'tareas' for specific items on a to-do list.)

trabajos

trah-BAH-hos/tɾaˈβa.xos/

nounA2general
Use 'trabajos' to refer to specific work assignments, projects, or pieces of work that need to be completed, often in a professional or academic setting.
A visual representation showing three small, specific tasks completed: a clean plate, a bundle of sticks tied neatly, and a folded piece of laundry.

Examples

El profesor nos dio muchos trabajos para la clase.

The teacher gave us many assignments for the class.

Los estudiantes deben entregar todos sus trabajos antes del viernes.

The students must hand in all their assignments before Friday.

Tenemos muchos trabajos de jardinería por hacer este fin de semana.

We have many gardening tasks to do this weekend.

actividades

/ak-tee-vee-DAH-des//ak.ti.βiˈða.ðes/

nounA1general
Use 'actividades' for broader actions, pursuits, or things one does, often for leisure, in a project, or as part of a plan.
A visual representation showing three distinct panels of different activities: a person painting on an easel, a person jogging outdoors, and a person reading a large book.

Examples

Las actividades del campamento empiezan a las nueve.

The camp activities start at nine.

¿Cuáles son tus actividades favoritas del fin de semana?

What are your favorite weekend activities?

Tenemos muchas actividades escolares planeadas para el próximo mes.

We have many school activities planned for next month.

Las actividades económicas del país han crecido significativamente.

The country's economic activities have grown significantly.

Always Feminine and Plural

Even though it ends in '-es', remember that 'actividades' is always a feminine word. You must use the feminine plural articles and adjectives with it (e.g., 'las actividades', 'muchas actividades').

Plural of '-dad'

The singular form is 'actividad'. When words end in '-dad' (like 'ciudad' or 'libertad'), you form the plural by adding '-es' to the end.

Using the Wrong Article

Mistake: “Los actividades”

Correction: Las actividades. Remember that the base word 'actividad' is feminine, so the plural is feminine too.

Choosing Between 'Tareas' and 'Trabajos'

Learners often confuse 'tareas' and 'trabajos'. Remember that 'tareas' is more common for everyday chores or standard homework, while 'trabajos' implies more substantial assignments or pieces of work, like projects or specific job duties.

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