What it's NOT
career does NOT translate to carrera.
To say "carrera" in English, use race / degree.
ESEN
False cognate · False friend
career
Does NOT mean carrera
It means a profession / professional path
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
What it IS
career means a profession / professional path.
Why it's confused
Spanish "carrera" covers both a professional path and an athletic race. English "career" refers exclusively to one's professional path over time. An athletic race in English is "race."
How it's pronounced
careerca-RÍR
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Examples of correct use
English
She has a successful career in medicine.
Spanish
Ella tiene una carrera profesional exitosa en medicina.
English
He changed careers at forty.
Spanish
Cambió de profesión a los cuarenta.
A trick to remember it
Career = your professional path. A running race is "race." The degree you study for is "degree."
Mini quiz
A 100-meter "race" is...
Frequently asked questions
What does "career" mean in English?
"Career" means "a profession / professional path". It looks a lot like "carrera", which is exactly why it gets confused, but they don't mean the same thing.
How do you say "carrera" in English?
To say "carrera" in English, use "race / degree". If you use "career" instead, you would actually be saying "a profession / professional path".
Do "career" and "carrera" mean the same thing?
Spanish "carrera" covers both a professional path and an athletic race. English "career" refers exclusively to one's professional path over time. An athletic race in English is "race."
Other confusing false friends
More confusing false friends
Library, embarrassed, actually... the full list of words that look the same but mean something different.
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