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career and Spanish carrera
In English
career
a profession / professional path
In Spanish
carrera
competencia, estudios
Spanish "carrera" means: race / degree
Why they get mixed up 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."
If you want to say...
- careercarrera profesional
- degreecarrera universitaria
- racecarrera
Examples
She has a successful career in medicine.
Ella tiene una carrera profesional exitosa en medicina.
He changed careers at forty.
Cambió de profesión a los cuarenta.
She started her career as a nurse.
Comenzó su carrera profesional como enfermera.
Choosing a career is a big decision.
Elegir una profesión es una gran decisión.
Common mistakes in Spanish
Incorrect: Estoy estudiando una carrera en un gimnasio.
Correct: Estoy estudiando una carrera en la universidad.
Carrera in Spanish can be a university degree or a race. Use context.
Incorrect: Corrí una carrera de medicina.
Correct: Estudié la carrera de medicina.
Carrera de medicina is a degree program, while "correr una carrera" is a race.
Phrases you will hear
- a career in medicineuna carrera en medicina
- a career changeun cambio de carrera
- a successful careeruna carrera exitosa
- career goalsmetas profesionales
- a degree in lawuna carrera de derecho
- a raceuna carrera
In a conversation
- A:
What's your career goal?
¿Cuál es tu meta profesional?
- B:
I want a career in design.
Quiero una carrera en diseño.
- A:
Are you studying for a degree?
¿Estás estudiando una carrera universitaria?
- B:
Yes, and I might change careers later.
Sí, y quizá cambie de carrera después.
Test yourself
A 100-meter "race" is...
To remember it
Career = your professional path. A running race is "race." The degree you study for is "degree."
Frequently asked questions
What does Spanish "carrera" mean?
Spanish "carrera" means "race / degree". It looks like the English "career", which is exactly why it gets confused, but "career" means "a profession / professional path".
Does English "career" mean the same as Spanish "carrera"?
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."