Key points about jobs and work routines
A lot of professions in Spanish have In Spanish, all nouns have a gender, either masculine or feminine. and In Spanish, all nouns have a gender and are either masculine or feminine. forms.
Some professions do not change their spelling according to whether the person is male or female, but they do change their A word that goes before a noun, meaning a, an, the or some. It changes according to whether the noun is masculine, feminine, singular or plural. .
Vocabulary - Work and jobs
Useful nouns for talking about jobs and work include:
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | work, job, occupation | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | company, business, firm |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | career | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | interview |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | factory | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | business |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | unemployment, strike | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | industry |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | employee | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | worker, labourer |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | salary | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | company |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | work, job, effort | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | economy |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | part-time job | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | employee |
For example:
Tengo un trabajo a tiempo parcial. – I have a part-time job.
Desgraciadamente mi hermano está en paro. – Unfortunately my brother is unemployed.
Mi padre es empleado de una gran empresa. – My father is an employee in a big company.
Useful verbs for talking about jobs and work include:
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to learn | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to pay for |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to support | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to pass (a test) |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to serve | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to teach, show |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to be unemployed | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to succeed (in + verb) |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to study | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to work |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to earn, win | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to sell |
For example:
Trabajo en una tienda los sábados. – I work in a shop on Saturdays.
Me gusta el trabajo pero no gano mucho. – I like the job but I don’t earn a lot.
Mi hermana trabaja en una fábrica. – My sister works in a factory.
Grammar - Gender of nouns
A lot of professions have both a masculine and a feminine form. For example:
el camarero (waiter) → la camarera (waitress)
el actor (actor) → la actriz (actress)
el peluquero (hairdresser) → la peluquera (hairdresser)
Note that in this example, the final e changes to a:
- el dependiente (salesman) → la dependienta (saleswoman).
Some professions do not change their spelling according to whether the person is male or female, but they do change their A word that goes before a noun, meaning a, an, the or some. It changes according to whether the noun is masculine, feminine, singular or plural. , which is either el or la.
For example:
el/la artista – artist, performer
el/la cantante - singer
el/la director - headteacher, director, manager
el/la médico – doctor
Remember
When talking about jobs, usually you don’t need the article (un/una). For example:
Quiero ser cantante. – I want to be a singer.
However, you do need an article if you use an adjective. For example:
Soy un buen cantante. – I’m a good singer.
The gender of nouns - Mini quiz
Translate the following sentences into Spanish.
I am a waiter.
Soy camarero.
You do not need the word for ‘a’ (un) with a job in this sentence.
She is a good waitress.
Es una buena camarera.
With an adjective (Buena – good) you do need to include the article, una.
Complete the following sentences in Spanish.
Mi hermano ___________ .
My brother is an artist.
Mi hermano es artista.
You do not need an article with the job. The job ‘artista’ does not change according to whether it is masculine or feminine.
Mi madre es __________________ .
My mother is the director of the company.
Mi madre es director de la empresa/compañía.
You do not need an article with the job. The job ‘director’ does not change according to whether it is masculine or feminine.
Find out more about the nouns and gender in the Gender of nouns in Spanish guide.
Listening practice
Read through the extracts from part-time holiday job adverts, then listen to each student. Match them to the most suitable job.
Advert A
Buscamos camareros/as con experiencia para los fines de semana durante las vacaciones.
Advert B
Se buscan jóvenes para trabajar en la piscina cada mañana.
Advert C
¿Te gustan las mascotas? Necesitamos jóvenes para cuidar y pasear a los perros.
Advert D
Varios trabajos disponibles en nuestro supermercado. ¡La experiencia no es necesaria!
Juan
- Which job would be suitable for Juan?
Juan would be most suited to job B. He says that he loves swimming and is looking for a sporty job.
Advert B is looking for young people to work at the swimming pool.
Transcript:
Me encanta la natación y me gustaría encontrar un trabajo en el sector deportivo.
Translation:
I love swimming and I would like to find a sporty job.
Pilar
- Which job would be suitable for Pilar?
Pilar would be most suited to job C. She says that she wants to be a vet and would prefer to work with animals.
Advert C is looking for young people to care for and look after dogs.
Transcript:
Quisiera ser veterinaria así que preferiría trabajar con animales.
Translation:
I would like to be a vet, so I would prefer to work with animals.
Ana
- Which job would be suitable for Ana?
Ana would be most suited to job A. She says that she worked in a restaurant last year.
Advert A is looking for waiters and waitresses with experience.
Transcript:
El año pasado trabajé en un restaurante durante las vacaciones y lo pasé muy bien.
Translation:
Last year I worked in a restaurant during the holidays and I had a really good time.
Nadim
- Which job would be suitable for Nadim?
Nadim would be most suited to job D. He is looking for a job but doesn't have work experience.
Advert D says that various jobs are available in the supermarket and experience is not required.
Transcript:
Necesito encontrar un trabajo, pero no tengo experiencia. ¿Qué puedo hacer?
Translation:
I need to find a job, but I don't have experience. What can I do?
Vocabulary - How to talk about different professions
Professions that have a masculine and feminine form in Spanish include:
| Male job role | English | Female job role | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | actor | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | actress |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | author, writer | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | author, writer |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | waiter | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | waitress |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | carer | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | carer |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | nurse | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | nurse |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | hairdresser | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | hairdresser |
For some professions, the word for the job does not change according to whether the person doing the job is male or female. Note that when talking about these professions, the article (el/la/un/una) does change.
Examples of these professions include:
| Job role | English | Job role | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| el/la abogado | lawyer | el/la ingeniero | engineer |
| el/la cantante | singer | el//la jefe | boss |
| el/la científico | scientist | el/la músico | musician |
| el/la médico | doctor | el/la periodista | journalist |
| el/la modelo | model | el/la pintor | painter |
| el/la director | headteacher, director, manager | el/la policía | policeman/policewoman |
| el/la escritor | writer | el/la profesor | teacher |
| el/la influencer | influencer | el/la secretario | secretary |
All Foundation Tier vocabulary listed in this guide can be found on the vocabulary sheet below.
Reading practice
Read these job adverts from a Mexican website and answer the questions that follow.
Advert A
Camarero - Tienes que servir a nuestros clientes sonriendo. Hay que trabajar algunos fines de semana.
Advert B
Modelo - Debes ser paciente y parecer feliz. A veces es aburrido pero se puede ganar bien.
Advert C
Escritor - Solicita este trabajo si te gusta escribir. Necesitamos a alguien que pueda escribir recursos que promuevan nuestra empresa.
Advert D
Abogado - Podrás ayudar a nuestros clientes que necesitan ayuda con su alojamiento y sus empresas. Es un empleo que nunca es aburrido.
Advert E
Secretario - En este empleo utilizarás el ordenador para comunicarte y escribirás cartas y correos eléctronicos para tu jefe.
Advert F
Cuidador - Podrás ayudar a los ancianos en nuestra residencia. Necesitamos a alguien positivo y fuerte. Tendrás que empezar temprano cada día.
- Which job advertisement mentions that you will need to start work early?
The answer is cuidador (carer)
Tendrás que empezar temprano cada día.
You will have to start early every day.
- Which job advertisement mentions that it can be boring?
The answer is modelo (model)
A veces es aburrido
Sometimes it’s boring
It is no abogado, which says es un empleo que nunca es aburrido. (It’s a job which is never boring.)
- Which job advertisement mentions that you will have to work at the weekends?
The answer is camarero (waiter)
Hay que trabajar algunos fines de semana.
You have to work some weekends.
- Which job advertisement mentions that you will have to promote the company?
The answer is escritor (writer)
Necesitamos a alguien que pueda escribir recursos que promuevan nuestra empresa.
We need someone who can write resources that promote our company.
Click or tap on Show more to read a translation of the adverts.
Advert A
Camarero - Tienes que servir a nuestros clientes sonriendo. Hay que trabajar algunos fines de semana.
Waiter - You will have to serve our clients with a smile. You have to work some weekends.
Advert B
Modelo - Debes ser paciente y parecer feliz. A veces es aburrido pero se puede ganar bien.
Model - You have to be patient and appear happy. Sometimes it's boring but you can earn good money.
Advert C
Escritor - Solicita este trabajo si te gusta escribir. Necesitamos a alguien que pueda escribir recursos que promuevan nuestra empresa.
Writer - Apply for this job if you like writing. We need someone who can write resources that promote our company.
Advert D
Lawyer - Abogado - Podrás ayudar a nuestros clientes que necesitan ayuda con su alojamiento y sus empresas. Es un empleo que nunca es aburrido.
You will be able to assist our clients who need help with their accommodation and their business. It's a job that is never boring.
Advert E
Secretario - En este empleo utilizarás el ordenador para comunicarte y escribirás cartas y correos eléctronicos para tu jefe.
Secretary - In this job you will use the computer to communicate and you will write letters and emails for your manager.
Advert F
Cuidador - Podrás ayudar a los ancianos en nuestra residencia. Necesitamos a alguien positivo y fuerte. Tendrás que empezar temprano cada día.
Carer - You will be able to help elderly residents. We need someone positive and strong. You will have to start early every day.
Vocabulary sheet
Click or tap on the image below for a list of useful vocabulary to use when describing jobs and work routines.
Higher Tier - Vocabulary - Jobs and work routine
Useful Higher Tier vocabulary incudes:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | commerce, trade, business |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | training, education |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | resource |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to promote |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to apply for |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again./Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | sportsperson |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again./Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | businessperson, entrepreneur |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again./Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | representative |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again./Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | soldier |
All Higher Tier vocabulary listed in this guide can be found on the vocabulary sheet below.
Higher Tier - Vocabulary sheet
Click or tap on the image below for a list of useful Higher Tier vocabulary to use when describing jobs and work routines.
Now you have revised the important vocabulary and key grammar points for jobs and work routine, why not have a look at the Talking about yourself and your relations in Spanish guide?
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