The short version
- For what you do, use Soy + the job with no un or una: Soy enfermera.
- Add where and how you work, one thing you do in a normal day, and whether you like it.
- Prepare a short version and a longer version, and if your job is hard to explain, simplify it.
There are two parts to being able to talk about your job in Spanish. The first is saying what you do, which takes one sentence. The second is what happens next: the other person asks where, or whether you like it, or what that actually involves, and that's where most learners run out of words.
Your job comes up everywhere. At a party, with a new neighbour, at the hairdresser's, at the school gate. So it's worth having this conversation ready early.
Here's everything you need, from the first question to the follow-ups.
The questions you'll hear
People ask about work in a few different ways. You don't need to use all of these, but you should recognise them.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿A qué te dedicas? | What do you do? |
| ¿En qué trabajas? | What do you do for work? |
| ¿De qué trabajas? | What do you work as? |
| ¿Dónde trabajas? | Where do you work? |
| ¿Y qué tal el trabajo? | And how's work? |
| ¿Te gusta lo que haces? | Do you like what you do? |
¿A qué te dedicas? is the most common, and it's also the one learners misread most. Literally it's "what do you dedicate yourself to?", which sounds like it could be about hobbies. It's about work.
Saying what you do
The simplest way is Soy + your job. In Spanish you don't use un or una here, which feels odd at first.
| Structure | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Soy + job | I'm a… | Soy profesora. |
| Trabajo de / como + job | I work as a… | Trabajo de camarero. |
| Trabajo en + place | I work in / at… | Trabajo en un hospital. |
| Trabajo en + sector | I work in… | Trabajo en marketing. |
| Me dedico a + noun or verb | I work in… / What I do is… | Me dedico a la informática. |
| Tengo mi propio negocio. | I have my own business. | Tengo mi propio negocio de reformas. |
Most jobs have a masculine and feminine form: enfermero and enfermera, abogado and abogada, ingeniero and ingeniera. Some stay the same: soy periodista, soy dentista, soy gerente.
Soy un profesor is a very common learner mistake. Just say Soy profesor. You only add un or una when you describe the person as well: Es una profesora muy buena (She's a very good teacher).
How and where you work
After the job title, a couple of details make your answer sound real. These are phrases you'll hear all the time in Spain.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Trabajo desde casa. / Teletrabajo. | I work from home. |
| Trabajo a jornada completa. | I work full time. |
| Trabajo a media jornada. | I work part time. |
| Soy autónomo / autónoma. | I'm self-employed. |
| Trabajo por mi cuenta. | I work for myself. |
| Estoy buscando trabajo. | I'm looking for work. |
| Estoy en paro. | I'm unemployed. |
| Estoy jubilado / jubilada. | I'm retired. |
| Estoy estudiando. | I'm studying. |
Notice that some of these use soy and some use estoy. Soy autónomo describes what you are. Estoy en paro and estoy buscando trabajo describe your situation right now. There's more on that split in ser vs estar, made simple.
What your day actually involves
This is the part people are really interested in, and the part most learners skip. Two or three verbs are enough.
- Me encargo de… (I'm in charge of… / I look after…): Me encargo de las redes sociales.
- Trato con… (I deal with…): Trato mucho con clientes.
- Paso mucho tiempo… (I spend a lot of time…): Paso mucho tiempo en reuniones.
- Tengo que… (I have to…): Tengo que viajar bastante.
Put the pieces together a bit at a time, and say the whole sentence each time:
- Soy diseñadora.I'm a designer.
- Soy diseñadora y trabajo en una agencia pequeña.I'm a designer and I work at a small agency.
- Soy diseñadora y trabajo en una agencia pequeña. Me encargo sobre todo de las webs de los clientes.I'm a designer and I work at a small agency. I mainly look after clients' websites.
- Soy diseñadora y trabajo en una agencia pequeña. Me encargo sobre todo de las webs de los clientes. Dos días a la semana teletrabajo.I'm a designer and I work at a small agency. I mainly look after clients' websites. Two days a week I work from home.
Saying whether you like it
Sooner or later someone asks ¿Y te gusta? A one-word sí ends the conversation. A reason keeps it going.
- Me encanta, la verdad. Cada día es diferente. (I love it, to be honest. Every day's different.)
- Está bien. El sueldo no es muy alto, pero tengo buen horario. (It's fine. The pay isn't great, but the hours are good.)
- Tengo muy buenos compañeros. (I've got really good colleagues.)
- Es un poco estresante, sobre todo a final de mes. (It's a bit stressful, especially at the end of the month.)
- Me gustaría cambiar, pero de momento estoy bien. (I'd like a change, but I'm OK for now.)
Here's how it sounds in a real conversation:
When your job is hard to explain
If you're a teacher or a nurse, one word does it. If you're a "senior compliance analyst for a fintech platform", you have a problem. Trying to translate your job title word by word usually ends in a long pause.
Describe what you do instead of translating the title. Start with the general area, then say one thing you do in plain words.
- Trabajo en un banco. Reviso que todo cumpla las normas. (I work at a bank. I check everything follows the rules.)
- Trabajo en informática. Hago que las webs funcionen rápido. (I work in IT. I make websites run fast.)
- Es difícil de explicar, pero básicamente… (It's hard to explain, but basically…)
It's the same idea as in how to stop translating in your head: start with the Spanish you have, and say what you can say.
Write two answers to ¿A qué te dedicas? The 5-second version is one sentence: Soy diseñadora, trabajo en una agencia. The 30-second version adds where, one thing you do and whether you like it. Practise both out loud every day this week. Use the short one when someone's just being polite, and the long one when they look interested. Having both ready means you're never stuck choosing how much to say.
Common mistakes
Soy un ingeniero.
Soy ingeniero. No un or una before a job on its own.
Trabajo como un camarero.
Trabajo de camarero or Trabajo como camarero.
Translating a complicated job title word by word.
Say the general area, then one thing you do in simple words.
Answering ¿Te gusta? with just sí.
Add one reason: Sí, tengo buenos compañeros.
Never asking back.
Finish with ¿Y tú? or ¿Y tú a qué te dedicas?
Your job is a great first flashcard deck: 15 or 20 cards with your job title, your workplace, three things you do and a few questions. There's a guide to setting that up in how to use flashcards to actually speak Spanish.
Recap
- Use Soy + job, with no un or una.
- Add how and where you work: teletrabajo, soy autónomo, trabajo en…
- Say one or two things your day involves with me encargo de or trato con.
- Give a reason when you say whether you like it.
- If your job is hard to explain, describe it instead of translating the title.
Work is one of the themes in 100 Spanish Conversations, with the words, structures and a full conversation to practise out loud. When you've got your 30-second version ready, record it and post it in the Skool community. It's a good way to find out what people ask you next.
Leeroy studied Spanish for years before moving to Spain and finding he couldn't hold a conversation. He built Basically Spanish around the method that fixed it. Questions? leeroy@basicallyspanish.com