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"Preparatoria" is a form of "preparatoria", a noun which is often translated as "high school". "Vocacional" is an adjective which is often translated as "vocational". Learn more about the difference between "preparatoria" and "vocacional" below.
la preparatoria(
preh
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pah
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rah
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toh
-
ryah
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
1. (education) (Central America) (Mexico)
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. high school
Me gradué de la preparatoria y empecé a trabajar cuando tenía dieciocho años.I graduated from high school and began working when I was eighteen.
b. secondary school
Comencé a estudiar francés cuando iba a la preparatoria.I began studying French when I was in secondary school.
c. college (United Kingdom)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Ya terminas la preparatoria. ¿Qué vas a estudiar en la universidad?You're finishing college soon. What are you going to study at university?
vocacional, la vocacional(
boh
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kah
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syoh
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nahl
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
a. vocational
Nuestra universidad les ofrece educación vocacional a quienes no quieren seguir un camino a obtener un título.Our university offers vocational education for those who don't want to follow a degree track.
A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
2. (colloquial) (technical school) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. technical college
La vocacional de mi ciudad prepara a quienes quieren ser informáticos y diseñadores.The technical college in my city prepares those who want to become computer experts and designers.
