Inklingo

How to Say "vacancy" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “vacancy” is “plaza” — use 'plaza' when referring to an available job position, a seat in an educational program, or a general opening that implies a defined role or space.

English → Spanish

plaza

/plá-sa/ (or /plá-tha/ in Spain)ˈplaθa

nounB1general
Use 'plaza' when referring to an available job position, a seat in an educational program, or a general opening that implies a defined role or space.
An illustration of an empty, well-appointed office chair waiting behind a large wooden desk, symbolizing an open job position or vacancy.

Examples

Hay una plaza disponible en el departamento de ventas.

There is a position available in the sales department.

¿Cuántas plazas hay para el curso de verano?

How many spots are there for the summer course?

Formal Context

This meaning is often used in formal job listings or university applications, making it sound more serious or official than using 'trabajo' or 'puesto'.

vacante

ba-KAN-tehbaˈkante

nounB1general
Use 'vacante' specifically when talking about a job opening or a position that is currently empty and needs to be filled.
A wooden office desk with a computer and a chair, but no person sitting in it, and a bright green 'Available' sign on the desk.

Examples

Hay una vacante para el puesto de recepcionista.

There is a vacancy for the receptionist position.

Solicité la vacante en el departamento de marketing.

I applied for the opening in the marketing department.

Lamentablemente, no quedan vacantes en este colegio.

Unfortunately, there are no spots left in this school.

Gender and Endings

Even though it ends in 'e', when it refers to a job opening, it is almost always feminine: 'la vacante'.

Plural Form

To make it plural, just add an 's' to the end: 'las vacantes'.

Vacante vs. Vacío

Mistake: “Using 'vacante' for an empty glass of water.”

Correction: Use 'vacío' for physical containers and 'vacante' for jobs or seats. Say 'El vaso está vacío' not 'El vaso está vacante'.

Plaza vs. Vacante

Learners often confuse 'plaza' and 'vacante' because both mean 'opening.' Remember that 'vacante' is almost always used for job openings, while 'plaza' can also refer to seats in schools or general available spots.

Related Translations

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