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desempleo
/de.semˈple.o/
unemployment
El desempleo en España ha aumentado este trimestre.
Unemployment in Spain has risen this quarter.
formal
The state of being without a job despite being able and willing to work.
Muchos jóvenes sufren desempleo después de graduarse.
Many young people suffer from unemployment after graduating.
El gobierno implementó políticas para reducir el desempleo.
The government implemented policies to reduce unemployment.
Refers to involuntary joblessness, not temporary layoffs or voluntary unemployment.
Collocations
tasa de desempleounemployment ratedesempleo juvenilyouth unemploymentbeneficio por desempleounemployment benefit
Synonyms
Pro Tip
Common Collocations
Remember 'tasa de desempleo' (unemployment rate) and 'desempleo juvenil' (youth unemployment) for economics discussions.
Gold Rule
Distinguish from 'paro'
'Desempleo' is the general term, while 'paro' (from 'paro laboral') is common in Spain but may sound informal elsewhere.
Word Origin
From Latin *des-* (negative prefix) + *empleo* (employment), literally 'lack of employment'. First recorded in Spanish in the 19th century.
Usage Notes
Used in both economic reports and everyday conversation. In Spain, 'paro' is more colloquial; 'desempleo' is preferred in formal contexts.
Word Breakdown
des-
negative prefix (from Latin)
prefixempleo
employment
rootDiccionario Español-Inglés