Summer in Spanish: 30 Words to Describe Your Job, Internship, or Volunteer Gig

You finally landed that summer job, internship, or volunteer opportunity. Nice work! Whether you’re babysitting, helping at a clinic, scooping ice cream, or filing paperwork at an office, this summer is full of real-world experience. So, how do you talk about it in Spanish?

That’s where this post comes in. You need more than textbook vocabulary when you’re learning Spanish at work or in real conversations. You need the words that describe your life. And that starts with learning to talk about what you’re doing this summer.

This guide gives you 30 beginner-friendly words and phrases to describe your summer experience in Spanish. We’ll show you how to use them, avoid common mistakes, and feel confident sharing your day-to-day tasks in Spanish, whether with your teacher, tutor, or future employer.

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Why This Vocabulary Matters

If you’re taking Spanish lessons to improve your speaking in real life, summer is the perfect time to practice. Why? Because you’re doing things every day that are easy to describe once you have the right words. And by learning how to talk about your job or volunteer work in Spanish, you’re:

Building your confidence in real conversation
Getting ready for back-to-school presentations and Spanish class
Preparing for future job interviews where Spanish is a plus
Actually using Spanish outside the classroom (which is what fluency is all about!)

How to Structure Sentences About Work

When you want to describe what you do, these sentence structures are helpful:

1. To say what your job is:

Soy (I am) + job title
Ex: Soy cajero. – I’m a cashier.

2. To describe your tasks:

Tengo que (I have to) + verb (infinitive)
Ex: Tengo que atender clientes. – I have to help customers.

3. To talk about your work setting:

Trabajo en (I work in) + place
Ex: Trabajo en una oficina. – I work in an office.

4. To share your opinion:

Es / Fue / Estuvo + adjective
Ex: Fue interesante. – It was interesting.

30 Essential Spanish Words for Summer Work

We’ve grouped the vocabulary into categories so you can find what you need faster.

A. Job Titles and Roles (10 Words)

Spanish	English
Cajero/a	Cashier
Niñero/a	Babysitter
Repartidor/a	Delivery person
Asistente	Assistant
Voluntario/a	Volunteer
Recepcionista	Receptionist
Salvavidas	Lifeguard
Mesero/a	Server
Tutor/a	Tutor
Empleado/a	Employee

Tip: Don’t forget to match the noun’s gender with your own identity. Niñero = male babysitter, niñera = female babysitter.

B. Tasks and Responsibilities (10 Words)

Spanish	English
Atender clientes	Assist customers
Contestar llamadas	Answer phone calls
Llenar formularios	Fill out forms
Lavar platos	Wash dishes
Cuidar niños	Take care of kids
Limpiar mesas	Clean tables
Servir comida	Serve food
Entregar pedidos	Deliver orders
Preparar materiales	Prepare materials
Organizar archivos	Organize files

C. Workplaces and Tools (5 Words)

Spanish	English
Oficina	Office
Restaurante	Restaurant
Caja registradora	Cash register
Uniforme	Uniform
Horario	Schedule

D. Emotions and Impressions (5 Words)

Spanish	English
Cansado/a	Tired
Orgulloso/a	Proud
Divertido/a	Fun
Difícil	Hard
Interesante	Interesting

5 Real-Life Examples Using This Vocabulary

Soy cajera en una tienda de ropa. Tengo que atender clientes y usar la caja registradora.
(I’m a cashier at a clothing store. I have to help customers and use the register.)
Trabajo como niñero los fines de semana. Cuido a dos niños pequeños.
(I work as a babysitter on weekends. I take care of two small kids.)
Soy voluntaria en una biblioteca. Organizo libros y ayudo a los visitantes.
(I’m a volunteer at a library. I organize books and help visitors.)
Mi trabajo está en un restaurante. Lavo platos y limpio mesas.
(My job is at a restaurant. I wash dishes and clean tables.)
Estoy orgullosa de mi primer empleo. Es difícil pero interesante.
(I’m proud of my first job. It’s hard but interesting.)

Quick Grammar Tips

1. Ser vs. Estar
Use ser for job identity: Soy tutor.
Use estar for feelings: Estoy cansado.

2. Tener que + Infinitive
Just like “have to” in English.
Ex: Tengo que contestar llamadas. = I have to answer calls.

3. Gender and Number Agreement
Make sure adjectives and job titles match who you are.
Ex: orgulloso (if you’re male), orgullosa (if you’re female)

Need a refresher on gender in Spanish? Here’s a great guide.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using incorrect verb forms: Tengo contestar llamadas is incorrect. It should be Tengo que contestar llamadas.
Forgetting agreement: Saying Soy niñera if you’re male is a common mix-up.
Literal translations: Don’t say Estoy un cajero. Say Soy cajero.
Mixing past and present: Fue divertido = It was fun (past); Es divertido = It is fun (present)

Practice Time: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in each blank with the correct Spanish word or phrase.

Trabajo como ________. Atiendo clientes y uso la caja registradora.
Mi trabajo está en una ________. Lavo platos y sirvo comida.
Estoy ________ de mi primer empleo. Es difícil pero interesante.
________ que llenar formularios todos los días.
Soy ________ en una escuela de verano. Cuido niños pequeños.

Answer Key:

cajero/a
restaurante
orgulloso/a
Tengo
niñero/a

Wrap-Up: Real Life Is the Best Practice

Whether working your first job, helping in your community, or exploring a future career, your summer is full of valuable experiences. And now, you can describe them in Spanish.

Don’t worry if you can’t say everything yet. Start with what you know. Use the words in this guide to build short sentences. Practice with your Spanish tutor, write about your day in a journal, or try describing your job out loud like you’re being interviewed. You’ll be surprised how fast you improve.

Want real conversation practice with someone who gets it? Take a free class with Homeschool Spanish Academy. Our native-speaking teachers are here to help you sound natural and feel confident talking about your life in Spanish.

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