Spanish · Everyday Verbs
"to work" in Spanish: trabajar
trabajar
To work in Spanish is trabajar. Say yo trabajo and tú trabajas. El trabajo is the noun for the job itself.
Monday small talk
Yo trabajo cerca del metro.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce trabajar
Say it
trah-bah-HAR / trah-BAH-hoh / trah-BAH-hahs
/tɾa.βa.ˈxaɾ/
trah-bah-HAR. Yo trabajo is trah-BAH-hoh. Tú trabajas is trah-BAH-hahs.
"to work" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| trabajar | to work Dictionary infinitive. | Dictionary infinitive. |
| yo trabajo | I work Present first person. | Present first person. |
| tú trabajas | you work Informal present. | Informal present. |
| ustedes trabajan | you all work Latin American plural you. | Latin American plural you. |
| trabajar desde casa | to work from home Remote work. | Remote work. |
How to use trabajar in real life
- 1Monday small talk
Yo trabajo cerca del metro.
I work near the metro.
Yo trabajo is the everyday form.
- 2Asking a coworker
¿Tú trabajas mañana o descansas?
Do you work tomorrow or rest?
Tú trabajas opens schedule talk.
- 3Remote day
Hoy trabajo desde casa todo el día.
Today I work from home all day.
Trabajo can drop yo.
Mistakes English speakers make with trabajar
Incorrect: Yo trabajar mañana.
Correct: Yo trabajo mañana. / Voy a trabajar mañana.
Conjugate: yo trabajo, or use ir a + trabajar.
Incorrect: Yo soy trabajar en un banco.
Correct: Yo trabajo en un banco.
No English -ing. Use trabajo, not soy + infinitive.
Good to know
Latin Americans ask ¿En qué trabajas? as much as ¿Dónde trabajas? Trabajo covers the activity and the job. Remote talk often mixes trabajar desde casa with home office.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Catching up about jobs
ChatPal
¿Todavía trabajas en esa startup?
Do you still work at that startup?
You
Sí, trabajo ahí, pero en otro equipo.
Yes, I work there, but on another team.
ChatPal
Qué bien. Yo trabajo cerca de la plaza.
Nice. I work near the square.
You
Entonces los dos estamos en el centro.
So we are both downtown.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to work" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to work" in Spanish
How do I say I work?
Yo trabajo.
How do I ask where do you work?
¿Dónde trabajas?
Is trabajo a noun too?
Yes. El trabajo means the job or the work.
How do you pronounce trabajar?
trah-bah-HAR, stress on HAR.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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