mano de obra
nounCEFR B2
What does “mano de obra” mean in English?
labour, workforce — the human effort or workers available for employment
labour, workforce — the human effort or workers available for employment (escasez de mano de obra; mano de obra cualificada)
Example sentences
La escasez de mano de obra cualificada es uno de los principales cuellos de botella de la industria manufacturera.
The shortage of skilled labour is one of the main bottlenecks of the manufacturing industry.
En los países con salarios altos, las empresas buscan reducir costes con mano de obra más barata en el extranjero.
In high-wage countries, companies seek to cut costs with cheaper labour abroad.
La automatización de los procesos reduce la necesidad de mano de obra repetitiva y no especializada.
Automation of processes reduces the need for repetitive, non-specialised labour.
How to use it
La mano de obra (noun phrase, feminine) means 'labour' or 'workforce' — the human workers available for employment, especially in manufacturing or industry. Key collocations: escasez de mano de obra; mano de obra cualificada/no cualificada; mano de obra barata; mercado de mano de obra. Note: this is a fixed compound noun — do not separate the components. The verb is trabajar; the related adjective is laboral. Contrast with capital (capital investment) in economic discourse.
Common mistake
Mano de obra is always a fixed compound — do not say *obra de mano or *obra manual (those mean manual labour/handiwork in a different sense). The compound is feminine (la mano de obra) despite mano being feminine anyway. 'Labour costs' = costes laborales or costes de mano de obra. Don't confuse with sindicato (trade union).