Coworker – a person you work with in the same organization, company, or workplace. The word is functionally a near-synonym of “colleague”. You’ll hear and read it in workplace conversations, HR communications, social media posts about work life and any professional context where a neutral, unpretentious word for “someone I work with” is needed.
How to Properly Pronounce “Coworker”?
Audio (UK):
Audio (US):
The word “coworker” has three syllables, with the main stress on the first: CO-worker. The prefix co- means “together” or “with,” and it is pronounced with the same opening sound heard in “go” and “show”. Be careful not to confuse “coworker” with “worker”. Native speakers clearly pronounce the first syllable, making the distinction easy to hear in conversation.
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Plural & Possessive Forms of “Coworker”
“Coworker” is a completely regular countable noun that doesn’t pose any spelling difficulties in the plural or possessive form. It’s easy to use, but mistakes can easily be made regarding agreement with verbs and apostrophes in the plural and possessive. See the table and note below.
|
Form |
Example |
|---|---|
|
Singular: coworker |
A
|
|
Plural: coworkers |
Her
|
|
Singular possessive: coworker’s |
She covered her
|
|
Plural possessive: coworkers’ |
The
|
|
With “a”: a coworker |
He heard about the restructure from
|
|
With “my/your/their” |
|
Natural Collocations with “Coworker”
Professional English relies heavily on collocations. Learning these combinations will help you communicate more naturally during meetings, interviews and workplace discussions.
Verb + “Coworker” Collocations
|
Phrase |
Explanation |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
support a coworker |
help a colleague professionally or personally |
She
|
|
train a coworker |
teach workplace skills |
He spent several weeks
|
|
consult a coworker |
seek advice or expertise |
Before responding, I
|
|
assist a coworker |
provide practical help |
She
|
|
introduce a coworker |
present someone professionally |
The manager
|
|
recommend a coworker |
suggest someone for a role or opportunity |
He
|
Adjective + “Coworker” Collocations
|
Phrase |
Explanation |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
experienced coworker |
someone with substantial workplace knowledge |
I learned several useful techniques from an
|
|
supportive coworker |
someone who is helpful and encouraging |
Having a
|
|
former coworker |
someone you worked with in the past |
A
|
|
trusted coworker |
someone considered reliable |
She shared the information only with a
|
|
remote coworker |
someone who works from another location |
Our
|
Common Mistakes with “Coworker”
Many learners confuse “coworker”, “colleague” and “teammate”. While they are similar, each word has a slightly different focus and level of formality.
|
Why? |
||
|---|---|---|
|
He is my coworker in the soccer team.
|
He is my teammate in the soccer team.
|
Sports teams usually use “teammate”. |
|
My coworker work in marketing.
|
My coworker works in marketing.
|
Singular subjects require singular verbs. |
|
She is one of my coworker.
|
She is one of my coworkers.
|
The phrase “one of” requires a plural noun. |
|
I discussed with my coworker about the issue.
|
I discussed the issue with my coworker.
|
“Discuss” does not require “about”. |
|
We are coworkers since 2020.
|
We have been coworkers since 2020.
|
Use Present Perfect for an ongoing situation. |
Coworker in German, French and Spanish
Although the concept exists across languages, direct translations often vary depending on the workplace context and level of formality.
|
Language |
Word for “Coworker” |
|---|---|
|
|
compañero de trabajo |
|
|
collègue |
|
|
Arbeitskollege / Arbeitskollegin |
In discussions on professional relations, the noun “coworker” can be called the most practical term among those used at workplaces. Master this word along with its typical collocations and you will find your conversations more fluent and natural.
