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How to Say "workers" in Spanish

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trabajadores

trah-bah-hah-DOH-rehs/tɾaβaxaˈðoɾes/

nounA1general
Use 'trabajadores' when referring to people who are employed or engaged in labor in a general sense, like employees in a company or people performing any kind of job.
A diverse group of three individuals depicted in different professional roles: a construction worker with a hard hat, a chef wearing an apron, and an office worker sitting at a desk, all working diligently together.

Examples

Los trabajadores de la fábrica están en huelga.

The factory workers are on strike.

Necesitamos más trabajadores para este proyecto.

We need more employees for this project.

Masculine Plural Noun

This form refers to multiple male workers, or a mixed group of male and female workers. If the group were all female, you would use 'trabajadoras'.

Mixing up singular and plural

Mistake: “Muchos trabajador están aquí. (Incorrect agreement)”

Correction: Muchos trabajadores están aquí. (Remember to add the -es to the noun and use the plural verb form.)

obreros

/oh-BREH-rohs//oˈβɾeɾos/

nounA2specific
Choose 'obreros' specifically for manual laborers, especially those in industrial settings or involved in construction and manufacturing.
A group of people wearing hard hats and safety vests standing together on a construction site.

Examples

Los obreros terminaron la construcción del edificio en seis meses.

The workers finished the construction of the building in six months.

La fábrica contrató a cien nuevos obreros para el turno de noche.

The factory hired a hundred new laborers for the night shift.

The 'Mixed Group' Rule

Even though this word looks masculine, you use 'obreros' to talk about a group of workers that includes both men and women.

Choosing the right 'Worker'

Mistake: “Using 'obreros' for an office worker.”

Correction: Use 'empleados' for office staff. 'Obreros' is specifically for people doing physical, manual work.

manos

/mah-nohs//ˈmanos/

nounA1figurative
Use 'manos' figuratively to refer to the labor or workforce collectively, often implying a group of people available to do work, rather than individual workers.
A pair of human hands, depicted with palms slightly open and facing up.

Examples

Necesitamos más manos para terminar este proyecto a tiempo.

We need more hands to finish this project on time.

Lávate las manos antes de comer, por favor.

Wash your hands before eating, please.

Le dimos dos manos de pintura a la pared para que quedara perfecta.

We gave the wall two coats of paint so it would look perfect.

Necesitamos más manos en la granja durante la cosecha.

We need more hands (workers) on the farm during the harvest.

A Tricky Gender: 'la mano', 'las manos'

Even though 'mano' ends in '-o', it's a feminine word. Always use 'la' for one hand and 'las' for two. This is an important exception to remember, like 'la foto' or 'la moto'.

Using 'los' instead of 'las'

Mistake: “Me lavo *los manos*.”

Correction: Me lavo *las manos*. Because 'mano' is feminine, its plural form 'manos' is also feminine. So, you always need to use 'las'.

General vs. Specific Labor

The most common mistake is using 'obreros' too broadly. Remember that 'obreros' specifically implies manual or industrial work. For general employees or laborers in any field, 'trabajadores' is usually the safer and more appropriate choice.

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