remunerar
Lemma Details
Translation: to remunerate; to pay; to compensate; to reward
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: From Latin 'remunerare', composed of 're-' (again, back) and 'munerare' (to give, present), from 'munus' (gift, service). The English cognate 'remunerate' shares the same Latin root. The concept involves giving back something (usually money) in exchange for services rendered.
Commonality: 40%
Guessability: 80%
Register: formal
Example Usage
La empresa remunera bien a sus empleados.
The company pays its employees well.
Es importante remunerar justamente el trabajo realizado.
It's important to fairly compensate the work done.
No me remuneraron por las horas extras.
They didn't pay me for the overtime hours.
El esfuerzo será debidamente remunerado.
The effort will be duly rewarded.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'remunerate' in English - they sound almost identical.
- Remember 'munus' (gift) is at the root - you're giving a gift back for services.
- RE-MU-NE-RAR: 'RE' (return) + 'MUNER' (from money) + 'AR' (verb ending) - returning money for work.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking business contexts, 'remunerar' is often used in formal discussions about compensation and in employment contracts. It carries a more formal tone than the more common 'pagar' and is frequently used in corporate and legal settings.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Remunerar' means to pay or compensate, while 'enumerar' means to enumerate or list items.
This word:
La compañía remunera a sus empleados mensualmente.
The company pays its employees monthly.
Confused word:
El profesor enumeró los puntos principales de la lección.
The teacher enumerated the main points of the lesson.
Notes: The prefix 're-' in 'remunerar' suggests giving back, while 'e-' in 'enumerar' suggests bringing out or listing.
Mnemonic: 'Remunerar' has 'muner' which sounds like 'money' - you pay with money. 'Enumerar' has 'numer' which sounds like 'number' - you list numbers.
Explanation: 'Remunerar' means to pay, while 'rememorar' means to remember or recall.
This word:
Deberían remunerar mejor a los profesionales.
They should better compensate professionals.
Notes: Both words start with 're-' indicating a return or repetition, but the actions are completely different.
Mnemonic: 'Rememorar' contains 'memo' like 'memory' - it's about remembering. 'Remunerar' contains sounds like 'money' - it's about payment.