{"id":104,"date":"2026-09-30T18:33:33","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T17:33:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leweb2ks.dev\/vitrine-vocadial\/en\/resources\/jobs-in-spanish\/"},"modified":"2026-09-30T18:33:33","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T17:33:33","slug":"jobs-in-spanish","status":"publish","type":"vd_ressource","link":"https:\/\/vocadial.com\/en\/resources\/jobs-in-spanish\/","title":{"rendered":"Jobs in Spanish: vocabulary list, feminine forms and a classroom routine"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jobs in Spanish with their feminine form<\/h2>\n\n

In the pronunciation column, capitals mark the stressed syllable. “h” stands for the jota, a throaty sound like the ch in Scottish “loch”. “th” is the Spain pronunciation of z, and of c before e or i; in Latin America it is “s”. The Spanish h is silent.<\/p>\n\n

Jobs that change -o to -a<\/h3>\n\n
Spanish<\/th>English<\/th>Say it like<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
el m\u00e9dico \/ la m\u00e9dica<\/td>doctor<\/td>MEH-dee-koh \/ MEH-dee-kah<\/td><\/tr>
el enfermero \/ la enfermera<\/td>nurse<\/td>en-fair-MEH-roh \/ en-fair-MEH-rah<\/td><\/tr>
el abogado \/ la abogada<\/td>lawyer<\/td>ah-boh-GAH-doh \/ ah-boh-GAH-dah<\/td><\/tr>
el veterinario \/ la veterinaria<\/td>vet<\/td>beh-teh-ree-NAH-ryoh \/ -ryah<\/td><\/tr>
el ingeniero \/ la ingeniera<\/td>engineer<\/td>een-heh-NYEH-roh \/ -rah<\/td><\/tr>
el camarero \/ la camarera<\/td>waiter \/ waitress (Spain)<\/td>kah-mah-REH-roh \/ -rah<\/td><\/tr>
el cocinero \/ la cocinera<\/td>cook, chef<\/td>koh-thee-NEH-roh \/ koh-see-NEH-roh<\/td><\/tr>
el peluquero \/ la peluquera<\/td>hairdresser<\/td>peh-loo-KEH-roh \/ -rah<\/td><\/tr>
el bombero \/ la bombera<\/td>firefighter<\/td>bom-BEH-roh \/ bom-BEH-rah<\/td><\/tr>
el granjero \/ la granjera<\/td>farmer<\/td>grahn-HEH-roh \/ -rah<\/td><\/tr>
el cartero \/ la cartera<\/td>postman \/ postwoman<\/td>kar-TEH-roh \/ -rah<\/td><\/tr>
el mec\u00e1nico \/ la mec\u00e1nica<\/td>mechanic<\/td>meh-KAH-nee-koh \/ -kah<\/td><\/tr>
el fontanero \/ la fontanera<\/td>plumber (Spain)<\/td>fon-tah-NEH-roh \/ -rah<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Jobs in -or that add -a<\/h3>\n\n
Spanish<\/th>English<\/th>Say it like<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
el profesor \/ la profesora<\/td>teacher<\/td>proh-feh-SOR \/ proh-feh-SOH-rah<\/td><\/tr>
el conductor \/ la conductora<\/td>driver<\/td>kon-dook-TOR \/ kon-dook-TOH-rah<\/td><\/tr>
el escritor \/ la escritora<\/td>writer<\/td>es-kree-TOR \/ es-kree-TOH-rah<\/td><\/tr>
el dise\u00f1ador \/ la dise\u00f1adora<\/td>designer<\/td>dee-seh-nyah-DOR<\/td><\/tr>
el actor \/ la actriz<\/td>actor \/ actress<\/td>ahk-TOR \/ ahk-TREETH<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Jobs with one form and two articles<\/h3>\n\n
Spanish<\/th>English<\/th>Say it like<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
el \/ la periodista<\/td>journalist<\/td>peh-ryoh-DEES-tah<\/td><\/tr>
el \/ la dentista<\/td>dentist<\/td>den-TEES-tah<\/td><\/tr>
el \/ la futbolista<\/td>footballer<\/td>foot-boh-LEES-tah<\/td><\/tr>
el \/ la polic\u00eda<\/td>police officer<\/td>poh-lee-THEE-ah \/ poh-lee-SEE-ah<\/td><\/tr>
el \/ la cantante<\/td>singer<\/td>kahn-TAHN-teh<\/td><\/tr>
el \/ la piloto<\/td>pilot<\/td>pee-LOH-toh<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

How the feminine works<\/h2>\n\n
  1. -o becomes -a.<\/strong> el abogado<\/span>, la abogada<\/span>. This is the largest group, and current usage applies it to jobs that were long masculine only: la m\u00e9dica<\/span>, la ingeniera<\/span>, la bombera<\/span> are all accepted by the Real Academia Espa\u00f1ola.<\/li>
  2. A final consonant usually adds -a.<\/strong> el profesor<\/span>, la profesora<\/span>; el jefe<\/span> (boss), la jefa<\/span>. The accent of el dise\u00f1ador<\/span> stays on the same syllable in la dise\u00f1adora<\/span>.<\/li>
  3. -ista, -ante and -ente do not change.<\/strong> Only the article shows the sex: el periodista<\/span>, la periodista<\/span>; el cantante<\/span>, la cantante<\/span>. A few have a common feminine in -a as well: la dependienta<\/span> (shop assistant), la presidenta<\/span>.<\/li>
  4. Some words have two accepted feminines.<\/strong> la juez<\/span> and la jueza<\/span> (judge) are both correct; la m\u00e9dico<\/span> is still heard beside la m\u00e9dica<\/span>.<\/li>
  5. A few are irregular.<\/strong> el actor<\/span>, la actriz<\/span>. And el polic\u00eda<\/span> is a police officer, while la polic\u00eda<\/span> also means the police force.<\/li>
  6. The masculine plural covers mixed groups.<\/strong> los profesores<\/span> can be men and women. In formal speeches you will also hear both forms: profesores y profesoras<\/span>.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n

    Talking about jobs<\/h2>\n\n

    The key rule for English speakers: after ser<\/span>, a job takes no article. “She is a nurse” is Es enfermera<\/span>. Add un<\/span> or una<\/span> only when an adjective follows: Es una enfermera muy buena.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

    \u00bfEn qu\u00e9 trabajas? \/ \u00bfA qu\u00e9 te dedicas?<\/span>What do you do?<\/small><\/p>\n\n

    Soy profesora de ingl\u00e9s.<\/span>I’m an English teacher.<\/small><\/p>\n\n

    Mi padre es cocinero y trabaja en un restaurante.<\/span>My dad is a chef and works in a restaurant.<\/small><\/p>\n\n

    Mi madre trabaja como enfermera en un hospital.<\/span>My mum works as a nurse in a hospital.<\/small><\/p>\n\n

    \u00bfQu\u00e9 quieres ser de mayor?<\/span>What do you want to be when you grow up? (Spain)<\/small><\/p>\n\n

    Quiero ser veterinaria porque me encantan los animales.<\/span>I want to be a vet because I love animals.<\/small><\/p>\n\n

    Me gustar\u00eda trabajar al aire libre.<\/span>I’d like to work outdoors.<\/small><\/p>\n\n

    Places of work come with en<\/span>: en una oficina<\/span>, en una tienda<\/span>, en un colegio<\/span>, en una f\u00e1brica<\/span>, desde casa<\/span> (from home).<\/p>\n\n

    Spain and Latin America<\/h3>\n\n

    Most job titles are shared, but a few everyday words change.<\/p>\n\n

    Spain<\/th>Latin America<\/th>English<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    el camarero \/ la camarera<\/td>el mesero \/ la mesera (Mexico), el mozo \/ la moza (Argentina)<\/td>waiter \/ waitress<\/td><\/tr>
    el fontanero \/ la fontanera<\/td>el plomero \/ la plomera<\/td>plumber<\/td><\/tr>
    el \/ la ch\u00f3fer<\/td>el \/ la chofer<\/td>chauffeur, driver<\/td><\/tr>
    la azafata \/ el azafato<\/td>la aeromoza \/ el aeromozo (several countries)<\/td>flight attendant<\/td><\/tr>
    est\u00e1 en paro<\/td>est\u00e1 desempleado, no tiene trabajo<\/td>he\/she is unemployed<\/td><\/tr>
    \u00bfQu\u00e9 quieres ser de mayor?<\/td>\u00bfQu\u00e9 quieres ser cuando seas grande?<\/td>What do you want to be?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

    Idioms and sayings<\/h2>\n\n
    Spanish<\/th>Literally<\/th>Meaning<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    zapatero, a tus zapatos<\/td>shoemaker, to your shoes<\/td>stick to what you know<\/td><\/tr>
    en casa de herrero, cuchillo de palo<\/td>in the blacksmith’s house, a wooden knife<\/td>the cobbler’s children go barefoot<\/td><\/tr>
    cada maestrillo tiene su librillo<\/td>every little teacher has his little book<\/td>everyone has their own way of doing things<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

    Typical mistakes of English-speaking learners<\/h2>\n\n