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paro

unemployment

noun PAH-roh Less Common
People & Society Work

Also means

stoppage

Usage Note

Paro is the dominant word for unemployment in Spain (estar en paro = to be unemployed); in Latin America desempleo is more common. It also means a work stoppage or strike (paro laboral), so context matters. Cobrar el paro means to receive unemployment benefit.

Examples

"El paro subió durante la crisis económica."

Natural Translation

Unemployment rose during the economic crisis.

Literal Translation

The unemployment rose during the economic crisis

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