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This is an updated and expanded version of an older spanishNY.com post. If you’re learning Spanish, it helps to know both the formal profession names (doctor, abogado) and the local, informal words you’ll hear on the street, in markets, or at small businesses. Below is a large table with many job names, some of them are used only in Mexico, an English equivalent, and a short note about usage or feminine forms.
| Spanish job name | English equivalent | Short note (use / register / feminine form) |
| taquero / taquera (MX) | taco vendor | Very common; street-food seller of tacos. |
| tortillero (MX) | tortilla maker / seller | Makes or sells tortillas in markets or tortillerías. |
| tamalero (MX) | tamale vendor | Sells tamales from a stall or cart. |
| franelero (MX) | car watcher / parking helper | Informal job: people who “guard” cars for a small fee. El franelero waves a red flannel (franela). |
| tianguista (MX) | market vendor | From tianguis (open street market). Mexico only. |
| pepenador / pepenadora (MX) | waste picker / recycler | Collects recyclable items from trash. |
| cartonero / cartonera | cardboard collector | Similar to pepenador; collects cardboard to sell. |
| frutero / frutera | fruit seller / greengrocer | Sells fruit/vegetables in a stall or shop. |
| verdulero | produce vendor | Focuses on vegetables; common in markets. |
| abarrotero (MX) | corner grocery store owner | Owner of a small grocery (abarrotes). Tienda de abarrotes is the Mexican equivalent of a NYC bodega. |
| bodeguero (NYC) | corner grocery store owner | Bodega owner. |
| vendedor ambulante | street vendor | Sells goods walking the streets or from a cart. |
| lustrador de calzado / bolero (MX) | shoe shiner | Common in busy streets and markets. |
| gasolinero | gas station attendant | Attends pumps; still used though some self-service exists. |
| repartidor / repartidora | delivery person | Food or package delivery in cities. |
| mensajero / mensajera | messenger / courier | Office or personal messenger. |
| chofer | driver (professional) | Taxis, private drivers; feminine sometimes chofera. |
| taxista | taxi driver | Cab driver. |
| conductor de app / chofer de Uber, conductor de Uber | rideshare driver | Modern term; also chofer de app. |
| mecánico | mechanic | Car mechanic; standard. |
| hojalatero | tinsmith / bodywork metalworker | Repairs car bodies or works sheet metal. |
| plomero (MX) | plumber | Common in Mexico (fontanero, in Spain). |
| electricista | electrician | Standard trade. |
| cerrajero | locksmith | Locks, keys. |
| carpintero | carpenter | Woodworker; common trade. |
| herrero | blacksmith / metalworker | Works with iron/metal. |
| tapicero | upholsterer | Repairs or makes furniture upholstery. |
| zapatero | shoemaker / cobbler | Repairs or makes shoes. |
| costurera / modista | seamstress / dressmaker | Sews, alters clothing; sastre for male tailor. |
| planchador / planchadora | professional presser / ironer | Presses clothes ( laundromat or household ). |
| lavandera / lavandero | washer / laundry worker | Clothes washing service (informal/formal). |
| panadero / panadera | baker | Works at a bakery. |
| pastelero | pastry chef | Makes cakes. Pastel in Mexico and Spain is a cake. |
| carnicero | butcher | Sells meat; carnicero/a. |
| pescador | fisherman | Fishing worker (coastal towns). |
| cajero / cajera | cashier | Retail or bank cashier (cajero bancario for bank). |
| mesero / mesera (MX) | waiter / waitress | Common in restaurants. In Spain is camarero. |
| cantinero / bartender | bartender | Cantinero older; bartender common now. In mexico, you can hear barman sometimes. |
| cocinero / cocinera | cook / chef | Chef used in upscale restaurants. |
| promotor / promotora | promoter / sales promoter | Street/store promoter for products/events. |
| vendedor de mostrador | counter salesperson | Store clerk working the counter. |
| dependiente / dependienta | shop assistant | Formal shop staff term. |
| repartidor de periódicos | paperboy / paper delivery | Street-level delivery job. |
| jornalero | day laborer | Hired by the day (agriculture, construction). |
| peón | laborer / day laborer | Manual worker in construction, farms. Older term. |
| albañil | bricklayer / construction worker | Masons and general construction trades. |
| pintor | painter | House or building painter.Or even an artist. |
| jardinero | gardener | Garden/landscape worker. |
| obrero | factory worker | Industrial worker. |
| operario | operator / factory worker | Machine/operator in factories. |
| chofer de camión / camionero | truck driver | Long-distance or local truck driver. In Mexico, it could be a bus driver. |
| repartidor de paquetería | parcel courier | For shipping companies (formal). |
| peluquero / barbero | barber / hairdresser | Barbero for men’s cuts; peluquero/a common. |
| estilista | stylist | Salon professional (modern term). |
| modelo | model | Fashion or commercial model. Modelo for both, male and female. |
| fotógrafo / fotógrafa | photographer | Photographer, often freelance. |
| periodista | journalist / reporter | Reporter for media. |
| locutor / locutora | radio announcer | Radio or TV host. Voiceover person. |
| artista callejero | street performer | Musicians, mimes, acrobats in public spaces. |
| Reparador de electrodomésticos | appliance repair tech | Fixes household electronics. |
| técnico de computadoras | computer technician | Fixes PCs and networks. |
| programador / desarrollador / informático | programmer / developer | IT profession. |
| contador / contadora | accountant | Requires training; formal. |
| abogado / abogada | lawyer | Professional; feminine form common. |
| notario público | civil-law notary | High-level legal professional (different from notary public in English). |
| médico / doctor / doctora | doctor | Medical doctor. |
| enfermero / enfermera | nurse | Health-care worker. |
| psicólogo / psicóloga | psychologist | Requires degree. |
| maestro / maestra | teacher | Primary/secondary; profesor/a for higher levels. |
| profesor / profesora | professor / teacher | Higher education / formal teaching. Also a school teacher. |
| universitario / investigador | researcher / academic | University research jobs. |
| servidor público | public servant / civil servant | Formal government employees. |
| Policía, mujer policía | police officer | Police officer, female police officer. In Mexico you can hear “poli”, very informal. |
| bombero | firefighter | Emergency service.Bomba in Spanish is both, bomb and pump. |
| guardia de seguridad | security guard | Private or institutional security. |
| empleado doméstico / empleada doméstica | domestic worker | House cleaning, cooking, childcare. |
| niñera | nanny | Childcare in private homes. |
| cuidador / cuidadora de ancianos | caregiver | Elderly care worker. |
| curandero / curandera | folk healer | Traditional healer; cultural role. |
| capataz | foreman | Estate manager, foreman (rural/large households). Outdated but present in movies and novels. |
| voceador (MX) | A person who uses his voice as a tool. Shouts. | Person who sells newspapers on the streets. |
| afilador | Knife-grinder, sharpener | Person whose profession is to sharpen knives |
A few quick note: included many street jobs and informal names (taquero, franelero, tianguista, pepenador) because those are part of Mexican telenovelas and movies.
Final note for learners
If you hear a job name you don’t know, ask a local where it’s used. In Mexico, words often change by state and town, and local slang is common. Learning the informal words will help you understand real conversations; the formal names will help with paperwork and official contexts.
