laborable

Laborable is an adjective used in Spanish and related languages to describe matters related to work or, more commonly, to days that are considered ordinary working days. In calendar and administrative contexts, a dia laborable or dia hábil is a day on which normal office operations occur, typically Monday through Friday, excluding weekends and public holidays. By contrast, a dia no laborable or festivo denotes a holiday or non-working day. The term is widely used in payroll, contract deadlines, and public administration to distinguish between días laborales and other days.

In practice, time limits stated as “en X días laborables” usually exclude weekends and holidays, whereas “en X días naturales” counts every calendar day. This distinction helps prevent disputes in contracts, bureaucratic procedures, and project planning. The concept aligns with the common notion of a working week, though certain sectors (such as retail or healthcare) may operate on weekends, affecting whether a day is considered laborable for those contexts.

Etymologically, laborable derives from Latin labor, “to work,” with the suffix -able indicating a characteristic. In many Spanish-speaking countries, the standard working week is Monday to Friday, but local practices can vary. In Portuguese, similar distinctions exist with dias úteis or, less commonly, dias laboráveis. In law and business usage, clarifying whether a period is measured in días laborables or días naturales is important for accuracy and enforceability.