trabajador
Lemma Details
Translation: worker; employee; hardworking; industrious; laborer
Part of Speech: noun/adjective
Etymology: From 'trabajar' (to work) + '-dor' (agent suffix). The verb 'trabajar' comes from Latin 'tripaliare' meaning 'to torture with a tripalium' (a three-staked instrument of torture), which evolved to mean 'to toil' or 'to labor hard'. This etymology reflects how work was historically viewed as suffering or hardship. The English cognate 'travail' (meaning hard or painful effort) shares this root.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Es un trabajador muy dedicado.
He is a very dedicated worker.
Los derechos de los trabajadores son importantes.
Workers' rights are important.
Mi hermana es muy trabajadora y siempre termina sus tareas a tiempo.
My sister is very hardworking and always finishes her tasks on time.
La empresa busca trabajadores con experiencia.
The company is looking for experienced workers.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'trabajo' (work) + '-dor' (doer) = 'the one who does work'
- Connect it to English 'travail' (hard work) to remember both meaning and pronunciation
- Visualize someone 'traveling' to work each day to connect the sound to its meaning
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, 'trabajador' often carries positive connotations of dignity and worth. Labor movements and workers' rights have strong cultural significance in many Latin American countries, where May 1st (International Workers' Day) is widely celebrated. The term can also reflect class distinctions in societies with significant economic inequality.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Trabajador' refers to the person who works or the quality of being hardworking, while 'trabajo' refers to the work itself or the job.
Confused word:
Juan tiene un buen trabajo.
Juan has a good job.
Notes: The feminine form 'trabajadora' is used for female workers or when the noun it modifies is feminine.
Mnemonic: 'Trabajador' ends with '-dor' which often indicates a person who does something (like 'vendedor' = seller).
Explanation: While both can mean 'hardworking', 'trabajador' is more common and can be both a noun and adjective, while 'laborioso' is only an adjective with a slightly more formal tone.
Confused word:
Es un proceso laborioso.
It is a laborious process.
Notes: 'Laborioso' tends to emphasize the quality of requiring much effort or being painstaking.
Mnemonic: 'Laborioso' sounds like 'laborious' in English, which often describes tasks rather than people.