Contratada

Contratada is the feminine form of the past participle of contratar in Portuguese and Spanish. It functions as an adjective meaning hired or contracted, and can also be used as a noun in certain contexts to refer to the party that has been hired to perform services or to a hired worker, depending on the language and context.

In Portuguese, contratada agrees in gender with the noun it accompanies. It is commonly used to describe a person who is employed under a contract, for example a female employee: ela é contratada pela empresa. It can also refer to a contracting entity, such as a company that has been contracted to provide services: a empresa contratada venceu a licitação. The term appears in legal and administrative documents, in procurement, and in human resources language.

In Spanish, contratada likewise serves as the feminine form of the participle of contratar. It can denote a female worker who has been contracted: la empleada contratada debe cumplir su contrato, or a contracted company or entity: la empresa contratada ganaría el proyecto. The masculine form contratado and the noun contratante (the party that hires) are often used to distinguish roles in a contract or bidding process.

Etymology-traced usage comes from the verb contratar, meaning to hire or to enter into a contract. The term is common in legal, labor, and procurement contexts in Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking environments, with its exact meaning depending on gender, number, and the contractual relationship described. See also: contratado, contratante, contrato, licitación.