Spanish · A1 (Beginner)
Work in Spanish: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Spanish words for work are el trabajo (the work / job), la oficina (the office) and el jefe/la jefa (the boss). The full Spanish work phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential Spanish vocabulary for work, with example sentences and English translations. This is A1 (Beginner) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning Spanish to live, work, or settle abroad.
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Key work vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el trabajo | the work / job |
| la oficina | the office |
| el jefe/la jefa | the boss |
| el/la compañero/a | the colleague |
| trabajar | to work |
| el puesto | the job / position |
| el sueldo | the salary / wage |
| la reunión | the meeting |
| el ordenador | the computer (Spain) |
| las horas extra | overtime |
Example sentences
Voy al trabajo en metro.
I go to work by metro.
Trabajo en una oficina en el centro.
I work in an office in the city centre.
Mi jefe es muy exigente.
My boss is very demanding.
Mis compañeros son muy simpáticos.
My colleagues are very nice.
Trabajo de nueve a seis.
I work from nine to six.
Tengo una reunión a las dos.
I have a meeting at two.
How to actually learn these
Reading a vocabulary list is not the same as being able to use the words when it counts. Research on adult language acquisition consistently shows that vocabulary retained through contextual use — hearing a word, producing it under mild pressure, and being corrected when you get it wrong — transfers to real speech far more effectively than passive list review. The fastest way to make vocabulary like this stick is to practise it in the actual conversations where it comes up: not drills, but a real back-and-forth where you have to retrieve the word and say it aloud. Language Lab turns vocabulary like this into voiced, real-life scenarios with Sonia, a live AI language tutor who holds real conversations, corrects you in context, and remembers the specific words you keep getting wrong across sessions. The vocabulary stops being something you read and becomes something you say — automatically, under pressure, when you actually need it.
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