trabajo vs. empleo

Question

I just learned a new word "empleo". I looked it up in the dictionary and it means "job, work, employment". I would like to know the differences between "empleo" and "trabajo". Can they be used interchangeably in most cases? Or in what kind of situation they can't be used interchangeably?

Answer 1

If you have a task to do that is not related to being paid for your work, we say trabajo.

If something is difficult to do, we can say: Es mucho trabajo / es muy trabajoso / cuesta mucho trabajo.

To go to work/a job ..... ir al trabajo

Employment ..... el empleo (formal term, ie: Department of employment ... Departamento. de empleo)

Trabajo and empleo can be interchanged most of the time when the subject is the job for which you are paid, so in the end trabajo is used more.

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For me, "buen trabajo" sounds like a direct English translation. In Mexico we say "¡Bien hecho!"

Hola, Julian. Muchas gracias. I have one more question. In English, "work" is an uncountable noun unless we refer to "a work of art" or "the works of a writer", but in Spanish, "trabajo" can be used as a countable noun and an uncountable one? - joygogo, Sep 22, 2013

Yes, Joy > "trabajo(s)" but a work of art would be "la obra" - 005faa61, Sep 22, 2013

Thanks, Julian. So, most nouns in Spanish can be used as both countable and uncountable? The reason I ask this question is because I don't think Spanish nouns are classified into countable and uncountable very strictly. - joygogo, Sep 23, 2013

Answer 2

[Revise my English]
I would say that they are completely interchangeable when they are used as a noun an occupation:

• Un trabajo = un empleo as in:
• Find a job! - ¡Busca un empleo/trabajo!

But when trabajo is the conjugation of the verb trabajar (to work) it cannot be interchanged with the conjugation of the verb emplear.

• Yo trabajo = I work.
• Yo empleo = I use or I spend or I hire.

Also, when in English you refer to something done, made, etc, as a result of effort or exertion you say Good job! and in Spanish you must say ¡Buen trabajo!

Hola, RelaxingCup! Many thanks for your reply. And your answer reminds me of another question I always have in my mind. Is the yo form of the present tense of a verb also its noun? - joygogo, Sep 22, 2013

No no. It's just a coincidence in some cases. Most verbs cannot be converted to a noun so easily. - RelaxingCup, Sep 22, 2013

Oh, I see. Thanks! - joygogo, Sep 23, 2013

Answer 3

Empleo is, at least in some countries, more formal.

Thanks, Icrc! - joygogo, Sep 22, 2013

Answer 4

English has synonyms, so does Spanish!

Empleo = employment

Trabajo = work, job

Now go ahead and use the synonyms the same way as you do in English.

By the way, from Colombians I learned that when someone does a good job, you say "Bueno trabajo!" (smiley)

Muchas gracias, 1Rajaji! - joygogo, Sep 22, 2013