A2 · 44 words
Work and the job in Spanish
What you do, where you do it and how to ask about it.
A profession is asked about with ser and answered without an article: soy profesora. English cannot leave the article out — « I am a teacher » — so this is a word to unlearn rather than one to learn. Putting it back is not a mistake but a change of meaning: soy una profesora que… singles out what kind of teacher. And nearly every job title has a feminine form — profesor and profesora, médico and médica — while those ending in -e or -ista change only the article.
The words
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Verb (5)
ganarto earn; to winVerbA2
Gana bastante bien.He earns quite well.
contratarto hireVerbA2
Han contratado a dos personas más.They have hired two more people.
despedirto dismiss; to see offVerbA2
Despidieron a media plantilla.They dismissed half the workforce.
jubilarseto retireVerbA2
Se jubila el año que viene.He is retiring next year.
consistirto consist ofVerbA2
El trabajo consistía en mirar tres pantallas.The work consisted of watching three screens.
Phrase (2)
encargarse deto take care ofPhraseA2
Yo me encargo de los pedidos.I take care of the orders.
estar de bajato be off sickPhraseA2
Lleva dos semanas de baja.He has been off sick for two weeks.
Noun (m) (24)
el trabajothe work; the jobNoun (m)A2
Busco trabajo desde marzo.I have been looking for work since March.
el jefethe bossNoun (m)A2
Hablé con el jefe esta mañana.I spoke to the boss this morning.
el compañerothe colleagueNoun (m)A2
Mis compañeros son muy majos.My colleagues are very nice.
el sueldothe salaryNoun (m)A2
El sueldo no es muy alto.The salary is not very high.
el contratothe contractNoun (m)A2
Firmé el contrato el lunes.I signed the contract on Monday.
el parounemploymentNoun (m)A2
Está en el paro desde el verano.He has been unemployed since the summer.
el currículumthe CVNoun (m)A2
Mandé el currículum por correo.I sent the CV by email.
el profesorthe teacherNoun (m)A2
Mi hermana es profesora de física.My sister is a physics teacher.
el enfermerothe nurseNoun (m)A2
Trabaja de enfermero en urgencias.He works as a nurse in casualty.
el abogadothe lawyerNoun (m)A2
Consulté con una abogada.I consulted a lawyer.
el ingenierothe engineerNoun (m)A2
Es ingeniero de caminos.He is a civil engineer.
el dependientethe shop assistantNoun (m)A2
La dependienta fue muy amable.The shop assistant was very kind.
el periodistathe journalistNoun (m)A2
Es periodista en un diario local.She is a journalist on a local paper.
el informáticothe IT specialistNoun (m)A2
Mi vecino es informático.My neighbour is an IT specialist.
el funcionariothe civil servantNoun (m)A2
Los funcionarios tienen otro horario.Civil servants keep different hours.
el autónomothe self-employed personNoun (m)A2
Es autónoma desde hace tres años.She has been self-employed for three years.
el ordenadorthe computerNoun (m)A2
El ordenador va muy lento.The computer is very slow.
el informethe reportNoun (m)A2
Tengo que terminar el informe hoy.I have to finish the report today.
el proyectothe projectNoun (m)A2
Estamos con un proyecto nuevo.We are busy with a new project.
el plazothe deadlineNoun (m)A2
El plazo termina el viernes.The deadline ends on Friday.
el sindicatothe trade unionNoun (m)A2
El sindicato convocó una huelga.The union called a strike.
el clientethe customerNoun (m)A2
El cliente llamó dos veces.The customer called twice.
el turnothe shift; the turnNoun (m)A2
Esta semana tengo turno de tarde.This week I am on the late shift.
el administradorthe manager, the administratorNoun (m)A2
La señora del primero llamó al administrador.The woman on the first floor rang the manager.
Noun (f) (13)
la empresathe companyNoun (f)A2
La empresa tiene cien empleados.The company has a hundred employees.
la oficinathe officeNoun (f)A2
La oficina está en el segundo piso.The office is on the second floor.
la reuniónthe meetingNoun (f)A2
La reunión empieza a las diez.The meeting starts at ten.
la jornadathe working dayNoun (f)A2
Trabajo a jornada completa.I work full time.
las vacacionesthe holidaysNoun (f)A2
Me quedan cinco días de vacaciones.I have five days of holiday left.
la entrevistathe interviewNoun (f)A2
Tengo una entrevista el jueves.I have an interview on Thursday.
la experienciathe experienceNoun (f)A2
Tiene mucha experiencia en el sector.She has a lot of experience in the sector.
la impresorathe printerNoun (f)A2
La impresora no funciona.The printer does not work.
la carpetathe folderNoun (f)A2
Guárdalo en esa carpeta.Put it in that folder.
la nóminathe payslipNoun (f)A2
La nómina llega el día treinta.The payslip arrives on the thirtieth.
la formaciónthe trainingNoun (f)A2
La empresa paga la formación.The company pays for the training.
la sucursalthe branchNoun (f)A2
Trabaja en la sucursal de Sevilla.She works at the Seville branch.
la fábricathe factoryNoun (f)A2
La fábrica de noche era otro sitio.The factory was a different place at night.
This list belongs to Work and jobs — 24 lists and 1155 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 44 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.