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What is the difference between "compañía" and "empresa"?

What is the difference between "compañía" and "empresa"?

3
votes

I am going to teach managers in Chile and I am working on my business vocabulary. What is the difference between compañía and empresa? So, if I am talking about a business company, which should I use?

5980 views
updated Jul 26, 2017
posted by lcrooms
Hi, welcome to SD! - rac1, Jul 3, 2013
Thanks. This is my first time posting, so I am curious abuot how this works. - lcrooms, Jul 3, 2013

6 Answers

3
votes

A "Compañía" is a group of people aiming for a common purpose, oftenly a commercial one. Examples: Compañía de luz, compañía naviera, compañía de bomberos, compañía de actores, compañía de seguros, compañía forestal.

A "Empresa" is an organization with profit-making objectives.

In most cases, both are used interchangeably, but there are some interesting collocations such as: "Compañía de seguros" which is preferred instead of "Empresa de seguros".

I'd recommend you to employ "Empresa" since it is more widely used.

My personal page

updated Jul 26, 2017
edited by ignacioperezg
posted by ignacioperezg
Please correct my English if you feel it's necessary, Thanks! - ignacioperezg, Jul 3, 2013
Often instead of oftenly; An "Empresa" instead of A; I'd recommend (that) you use, o say. Quizá employ esté bien dicho, pero suele significar contratar y no emplear como lo utilizamos en español. Lo hablas muy pero muy bien, te felicito. - RafaelNoiret, Jul 3, 2013
Gracias por las correcciones!! - ignacioperezg, Jul 3, 2013
Rafa, employ se puede usar con el mismo significado que en espanol de usar, utilizar. El uso que hizo Ignacio en su última frase procede perfectamente. - francobollo, Jul 3, 2013
"aiming at" and "aiming for" slightly different. "Aiming AT a common purpose", but that is clumsy as well. Better, "WITH a common purpose." - EugenioCosta, Jul 3, 2013
3
votes

What's the difference between an enterprise and a company?

updated Jul 26, 2017
posted by EugenioCosta
I have no clue. - RafaelNoiret, Jul 3, 2013
Great point, Eugenio. I was going to post the same thing until I saw your posting. - francobollo, Jul 3, 2013
3
votes

They can be synonymous to mean a business, but compañía can also mean company as in "I have company over". You can use either one, I use empresa most of the time, personally.

And welcome to the forum smile

updated Jul 26, 2017
edited by RafaelNoiret
posted by RafaelNoiret
1
vote

Empresa proviene de emprender. Compañía viene de acompañarse o asociarse. Pero en el mundo de los negocios ambos términos pueden significar lo mismo.

Según RAE:

Compañía: Sociedad o junta de varias personas unidas para un mismo fin, frecuentemente mercantil.

Empresa: Unidad de organización dedicada a actividades industriales, mercantiles o de prestación de servicios con fines lucrativos.

Como podéis ver, son bien similares ambas definiciones.

updated Jul 26, 2017
edited by francobollo
posted by francobollo
Muchísimas gracias por la explicación. Así que la Compañía de Jesus (Societas) pero la empresa--no. - EugenioCosta, Jul 3, 2013
Exacto. Compañia de Jesús porque sus miembros se acompañan los unos a los otros. Buen ejemplo. - francobollo, Jul 3, 2013
0
votes

Terms in English that can be used for specific commercial entities:

enterprise business company

firm (usually a partnership of professionals but not necessarily)

concern (very general)

outfit (very informal and colloquial)

association

corporation (legally defined type of company)

partnership (legally defined type of enterprise)

house (rare but still used for certain types of businesses)

updated Jul 3, 2013
edited by EugenioCosta
posted by EugenioCosta
There also may remain a few commercial "societies", even in the US, but not many. - EugenioCosta, Jul 3, 2013
0
votes

Indeed, what is the difference between an entrepreneur and an undertaker?

updated Jul 3, 2013
posted by EugenioCosta
¿A qué viene esta interrogación? XD - RafaelNoiret, Jul 3, 2013
En inglés es un juego de palabras--en francés también. - EugenioCosta, Jul 3, 2013