Granjero vs. agricultor
'Granjero' and 'agricultor' are both Spanish words that can be translated to English as 'farmer'. However, they are not always interchangeable, as they are used in different contexts.
Granjero
A 'granjero' refers to a farmer who usually keeps livestock or poultry and/or grows crops on a small scale. The word 'granjero' is derived from the Spanish word 'granja', which means 'farm'.
El granjero tiene unas veinte vacas en su granja.
(The farmer has about twenty cows on his farm.)
Todos los días, el granjero sale temprano para alimentar a sus gallinas.
(Every day, the farmer gets up early to feed his hens.)
Agricultor
An 'agricultor' is generally a farmer who is involved in crop cultivation on a larger scale. This term is often associated with agricultural industries such as corn, wheat, and soy farming. The word 'agricultor' comes from the Spanish word 'agricultura', which means 'agriculture'.
El agricultor está cosechando trigo en su campo.
(The farmer is harvesting wheat in his field.)
El agricultor estaba preocupado por la sequía y su efecto en la cosecha.
(The farmer was worried about the drought and its effect on the harvest.)
Summary
In summary, while both 'granjero' and 'agricultor' refer to farmers, their usage depends on the context. A 'granjero' is usually associated with small farms and livestock while an ‘agricultor’ refers to farmers primarily involved in large-scale crop cultivation. However, in general conversational Spanish, these words may be used interchangeably because they share the basic meaning of being a person who works with plants or animals to produce food.