Professions · Las profesiones
20 Spanish words — each with a picture, audio and an example sentence. Jobs take ser with no article: Soy médico — “I'm a doctor”.
| Picture | English | Spanish · Español | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | doctor | el médico | Also el doctor; female doctor: la médica. |
 | nurse | el enfermero | 🔗 Word familyFrom enfermo (sick); female nurse: la enfermera. |
 | teacher | el maestro | In primary school; in high school and university: el profesor. |
 | student | estudiante | Same form for both genders: el/la estudiante. |
 | engineer | el ingeniero | 🔗 Word familyFrom ingenio (ingenuity); spelled ingeniero — no 'engineer'-style e. |
 | lawyer | el abogado | Not the fruit — avocado is el aguacate; abogado is the lawyer, from abogar (to advocate). |
 | police officer | el policía | el policía = the officer; la policía = the police force (or a policewoman). |
 | firefighter | el bombero | 🔗 Word familyFrom bomba (pump — also 'bomb'). |
 | cook | el cocinero | 🔗 Word familyFrom cocinar (to cook); a professional chef is el chef. |
 | waiter | el camarero | The Spain word; in Mexico el mesero (from mesa, table). |
 | seller | el vendedor | 🔗 Word familyFrom vender (to sell); cf. English 'vendor'. |
 | driver | el conductor | 🔗 Word familyFrom conducir (to drive); an orchestra conductor is el director. In Mexico: el chofer. |
 | farmer | el agricultor | 🔗 Word familyFrom agricultura; a farm is la granja and its farmer el granjero. |
 | carpenter | el carpintero | 🔗 Word familyCognate of 'carpenter'; the woodpecker is el pájaro carpintero. |
 | electrician | electricista | Same form for both genders: el/la electricista — typical of -ista nouns. |
 | journalist | periodista | Same form for both genders; from periódico (newspaper). |
 | writer | el escritor | 🔗 Word familyFrom escribir (to write); female: la escritora. |
 | singer | cantante | Same form for both genders: el/la cantante; from cantar (to sing). |
 | actor | el actor | Actress: la actriz. |
 | retiree | el jubilado | 🔗 Word familyFrom júbilo (joy) — literally 'the joyful one'; to retire: jubilarse. |