Obrero

Obrero is a Spanish noun that designates a person who performs manual or industrial labor. It is gendered: masculine obrero, feminine obrera; plural obreros or obreras. In everyday usage, it serves as a neutral term for a worker, especially in contexts involving labor or factories.

Etymology: The word derives from obrar or obra (work) with the agent suffix -ero, forming a noun meaning “one who does the work.” It is cognate with terms in other Romance languages and is commonly translated as “worker” or “laborer” in English.

Usage and connotations: Obrero is widely used across Spanish-speaking regions to refer to workers in various sectors, notably manual, industrial, and construction labor. In sociopolitical discourse it often points to the working class (la clase obrera) and may appear in discussions of unions, labor rights, and workers’ movements. The term can also occur in names of newspapers, unions, or political organizations that emphasize labor interests.