worker
gb/wˈɚkɚ/ us/wˈɚkɚ/
A2
English
~ 600
dolgozó, alkalmazott, munkavállaló, munkaerő
NOUN
A2
1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a worker at [a place]
The factory employs over 200 workers.
A gyár több mint 200 dolgozót foglalkoztat.
As a construction worker, he starts his day at sunrise.
Építőmunkásként napkeltekor kezdi a napját.
The company is hiring more workers for the holiday season.
Many workers are demanding better pay and conditions.
Learner examples
My sister is a worker in a shop.
A nővérem egy boltban dolgozik.
The workers make clothes in the factory.
A dolgozók ruhákat készítenek a gyárban.
He is a worker at the hotel.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'worker' with 'workman'; 'workman' is less common and often refers specifically to manual laborers.
Meaning
Person employed to do work
Collocations
factory worker
|office worker
|skilled worker
|migrant worker
|construction worker
Synonyms
employee (More formal and often used in legal or business contexts to mean someone who works for an employer.)
|
staff member (Refers to someone as part of a group working in an organization; slightly more collective.)
Antonyms
employer (The person or organization that hires and pays workers, opposite role.)
Themes
business
|employment
|daily life
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person who has a job and does work for money.
A person who is employed to perform tasks or duties, especially for wages or salary.
NOUN
A2
2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a [adjective] worker
She is known as a hard worker who always meets deadlines.
Szorgalmas dolgozóként ismerik, aki mindig betartja a határidőket.
He's not just talented; he's also a careful worker.
Nemcsak tehetséges, hanem alapos, gondos munkaerő is.
The manager praised her as a reliable worker.
Learner examples
He is a good worker.
Jó munkaerő.
She is a slow worker.
Lassan dolgozik.
My father is a hard worker.
Common mistake:
Learners may forget to use an adjective before 'worker' when describing someone's work style.
Meaning
Person characterized by work style
Collocations
hard worker
|fast worker
|good worker
Synonyms
performer (In this context, refers to someone who performs tasks well, but can also mean an entertainer.)
Antonyms
slacker (Informal term for someone who avoids work or works very little.)
Themes
employment
|daily life
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person described by how they do their job, like fast, careful, or lazy.
A person described in terms of how they perform their job or tasks, such as being hard-working, skilled, or efficient.
NOUN
B1
TECHNICAL
3
dolgozó
B2
Worker bees collect nectar from flowers.
A dolgozó méhek nektárt gyűjtenek a virágokból.
In an ant colony, the workers care for the larvae.
Egy hangyakolóniában a dolgozók gondozzák a lárvákat.
The hive depends on its worker bees to survive.
Learner examples
A worker bee makes honey.
A dolgozó méh mézet készít.
Worker ants bring food to the nest.
A dolgozó hangyák táplálékot visznek a fészekbe.
The queen bee is bigger than the worker bees.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'worker bee' with any bee; not all bees are workers.
Meaning
Non-reproducing insect in colony
Collocations
worker bee
|worker ant
Synonyms
laborer bee (Less common term referring specifically to bees that work in the hive.)
Antonyms
queen bee (The reproductive female in a bee colony, opposite role to the worker bee.)
Themes
biology
|animals
|nature
Definition
An insect like an ant or bee that cannot have young and works for the group.
A sterile female insect, such as an ant or bee, that performs tasks like gathering food, caring for young, and maintaining the nest.
Grammar
Dictionary form
worker
IPA
GB/wˈɚkɚ/
US/wˈɚkɚ/
Syllables & stress
work - er (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (work)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: worker
- Plural: workers
Word family
Forms
workers
noun
Core family
work
verb A1
working
adjective
Advanced or less common
workable
adjective
workmanship
noun B2
Negative and opposite forms
unworkable
adjective
Expressions
hard worker
1/hˈɑɹd wˈɚkɚ/
fixed phrase
Person who works diligently
A person who works very well and tries very hard.
Examples
- She’s a hard worker and always finishes her projects early.
- Everyone knows he’s a hard worker who never gives up.
blue-collar worker
1/blˈu kˈɑlɚ wˈɚkɚ/
fixed phrase
person doing manual or industrial work
An employee who mainly does physical or manual work, for example in a factory or on a building site.
Examples
- The new law will improve conditions for blue-collar workers.
- Blue-collar workers often face higher safety risks on the job.
- He spent most of his life as a blue-collar worker in the steel industry.
- The union represents thousands of blue-collar workers in the region.
- Her father was a blue-collar worker in the steel industry.
white-collar worker
1/wˈaɪt kˈɑlɚ wˈɚkɚ/
fixed phrase
person doing office or professional work
An employee who mainly does office or professional work, not physical labor.
Examples
- White-collar workers often have flexible schedules.
- As a white-collar worker, she spends most of her day at a computer.
- She transitioned from being a blue-collar worker to a white-collar worker after finishing college.
- The company offers flexible hours for its white-collar workers.
- Salaries for white-collar workers have risen faster than for manual workers.