How to Talk about Your Job in Spanish
Learning how to talk about your job in Spanish is super important. Being bilingual, trilingual, or a polyglot is not only awesome, but also an appreciated skill in the professional world. According to Rosetta Stone, at least 35% of their users who are responsible for hiring people extended a job offer, granted a job interview, or recommended a promotion for a potential employee because of their proficiency in another language.
In addition, 7.6% of the world’s population speaks Spanish. Spanish is the third-most spoken language on the internet, and approximately 55 million LinkedIn users use Spanish to some degree, according to Language Magazine.
Do you need more proof that knowing Spanish is key in the professional world and may land you more job or growth opportunities? Dress up, polish those shoes, update your resume and get ready to talk about your job in Spanish!
Applying for a Job in Spanish
After updating your resume, it’s time to start applying for a job in Spanish. Thanks to the pandemic, this process has become easier and most of us can start applying for a job from the comfort of our homes. Check out this basic vocabulary from any standard job application.
| English | Spanish |
| first name | el primer nombre |
| middle name | el segundo nombre |
| last names | los apellido(s)* |
| sex | el sexo* |
| gender | el género |
| mailing address | la dirección |
| zip code | el código postal |
| city | la ciudad |
| country of residence | el país de residencia |
| country of birth | el país de nacimiento |
| nationality | la nacionalidad |
| date of birth | la fecha de nacimiento |
| age | la edad |
| email address | la dirección de correo electrónico |
| cell phone number | número de (teléfono) celular |
| position to which you are applying | la posición a la que está aplicando |
| availability | la disponibilidad |
| expected salary | el salario esperado |
PRO TIPS! In Spanish-speaking countries, you’ll often find job applications with spaces for two last names. This is because in the Spanish and Latin American cultures, you traditionally take your father’s last name first and your mother’s last name after it, giving you two last names instead of one.
*In the section to fill out the sex, you might find M and F, which stand for masculino (masculine) and femenino (femenine). Alternatively, H and M stand for hombre (man) and mujer (woman).
Prepare for your Job Interview in Spanish
They called (or emailed)! You know seem like a suitable candidate for that job you are looking to secure. They want to set up a (virtual) meeting.
If that interview is completely or at least has a part in Spanish these next interview questions and sentences in Spanish might come in handy.
Cuénteme un poco de usted mismo.
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
¿Cómo se enteró de esta oferta de trabajo?
How did you learn about this job offer?
¿Por qué quiere trabajar con (o para) nosotros?
Why do you want to work with (or for) us?
¿Por qué deberíamos contratarlo(a)?
Why should we hire you?
¿Cuáles son sus más grandes fortalezas?
Which are your greatest strengths?
¿Cuáles son sus más grandes debilidades?
Which are your greatest weaknesses?
¿Qué lo(a) hace único(a)?
What makes you unique?
¿Por qué dejó su último trabajo?
Why did you leave your last job?
¿Por qué fue despedido(a)?
Why were you fired?
¿Cuánto ganaba en su empleo anterior?
How much did you earn at your last job?
¿Cuánto espera ganar?
How much do you expect to earn?
¿Estaría dispuesto(a) a trabajar horas extra?
Would you be willing to work extra hours?
¿Estaría dispuesto(a) a trabajar los fines de semana y días festivos?
Would you be willing to work on weekends and holidays?
Si fuese necesario, ¿estaría dispuesto(a) a trasladarse a otra ciudad o país?
If it were necessary, would you be willing to relocate to another city or country?
¿Necesita tiempo de gracia para renunciar su empleo actual?
Do you need some grace time to quit your current job?
¿Cuándo puede comenzar?
When can you start?
Strengths in Spanish
Discussing your strengths is key when discussing your expertise with a potential employer. Here is a list of them.
| English | Spanish |
| passionate | apasionado(a) |
| respectful | respetuoso(a) |
| ambitious | ambicioso(a) |
| disciplined | disciplinado(a) |
| communicative | comunicativo(a) |
| honest | honesto(a) o sincero(a) |
| perseverant | perseverante |
| prudent | prudente |
| professional | profesional |
| focused | enfocado(a) |
| fast | veloz o rápido(a) |
| efficient | eficiente |
| effective | eficaz o efectivo(a) |
| organised | organizado(a) |
| helpful | servicial |
| straightforward | directo(a) |
| tolerant | tolerante |
| visionary | visionario(a) |
| experienced | experimentado(a) |
| responsible | responsable |
Weaknesses in Spanish
None of us like to have weaknesses, but they are part of who we are, and honesty is key in a job interview. Learn how to say some of the most common weaknesses to talk to your potential employer.
| English | Spanish |
| disorganised | desorganizado(a) |
| self-critical | autocrítico(a) |
| perfectionist | perfeccionista |
| shy | tímido(a) |
| competitive | competitivo(a) |
| procrastinator | procastinador(a) |
| short-tempered | de carácter fuerte |
| loud | ruidoso(a) |
| sensitive | sensible |
| irresponsible | irresponsable |
| intolerant | intolerante |
| slow | lento(a) |
| lazy | perezoso(a) o haragán(a) |
| impatient | impaciente |
PRO TIP! You can list some of the strengths above as weaknesses by adding the adverb muy or demasiado (meaning too) to give a negative contrast to one of those weaknesses. For example you can say:
Soy demasiado directo(a).
I am too straightforward.
Hand-picked for you: Top 10 Bilingual Interview Questions to Land Your Dream Job
Describing Your Job in Spanish
You have been hired! Congratulations! Now that you went through the application and interview process, it’s time to tell your Spanish-speaking friends. Let’s begin with a list with general words regarding a job in Spanish is here to help you expand your vocabulary.
Job-related Words in Spanish
| English | Spanish |
| job application | la aplicación de trabajo |
| job interview | la entrevista de trabajo |
| work environment | el ambiente laboral (o de trabajo) |
| boss | el jefe o la jefa |
| supervisor | el/la supervisor(a) |
| superior | el/la superior(a) |
| coworker | el/la compañero(a) de trabajo |
| employer | el/la empleador(a) |
| employee | el/la empleado(a) |
| task | la tarea |
| (business) meeting | la reunión (de negocios) |
| obligation | la obligación |
| report | el reporte o el informe |
| project | el proyecto |
| presentation | la presentación |
| office | la oficina |
| training | la capacitación |
| benefits | los beneficios o las prestaciones |
| contract | el contrato |
| schedule | el horario |
Careers in Spanish
What is your job title? The world is wide and diverse, and the professional world is no different. We all have a different skill set, and that’s why we choose different career paths. Here are 11 common careers or job positions and their translation to Spanish.
| English | Spanish |
| accountant | el/la contador(a) |
| engineer | el/la ingeniero(a) |
| doctor | el/la doctor(a) |
| interpreter | el/la intérprete |
| lawyer | el/la abogado(a) |
| teacher | el/la maestro(a) |
| police officer | el/la oficial de policía |
| firefighter | el/la bombero |
| psychologist | el/la psicólogo(a) |
| journalist | el/la periodista |
| intern | el/la practicante o el/la pasante |
To learn more about careers in Spanish, check out:
Describing Your Job in Spanish
Here are a few things to tell your friends or relatives when describing your work in Spanish.
¡Me contrataron! Estoy muy contento(a).
I got hired! I am very happy.
Comienzo el próximo lunes.
I start next Monday.
Trabajo de lunes a viernes y de ocho de la mañana a cinco de la tarde.
I work from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Trabajo a tiempo completo.
I work full-time.
Trabajo medio tiempo.
I work part-time.
Trabajo de manera independiente.
I work independently (or as a freelancer).
Estoy a cargo de supervisar a los empleados.
I am in charge of supervising the employees.
Tengo muchas responsabilidades en mi trabajo.
I have a lot of responsibilities in my job.
Debido a mi clase de trabajo, no puedo trabajar desde mi casa.
Due to my type of job, I cannot work from home.
Things You Like at Work in Spanish.
Mi jefe (o jefa) me cae bien.
I like my boss.
El horario que manejo es flexible.
My schedule is flexible.
El ambiente de trabajo es amigable.
The work environment is friendly.
Mis compañeros (o compañeras) de trabajo son amables, serviciales y pacientes.
My coworkers are kind, helpful, and patient.
Respetan mi tiempo libre.
They respect my free time.
PRO TIP! Although the literal translation of “to like” is gustar, when you use the word gustar (for example: Me gusta mi jefe.) means that you like your boss romantically. That’s why we use the phrase caer bien (o mal).
Things You Do Not Like at Work in Spanish
Las instalaciones de donde trabajo son muy pequeñas.
The facilities where I work are very small.
Mi jefe (o jefa) nunca está abierto a escuchar ideas nuevas.
My boss is never open to listening to new ideas.
Nunca me pagan a tiempo.
They never pay me on time.
Mis compañeros de trabajo son groseros.
My coworkers are rude.
Mi supervisor(a) no es respetuoso(a).
My supervisor is not respectful.
Quitting Your Job in Spanish
All things must come to an end. Whatever the reason, most of us quit a job at least once in our lifetimes. If you need to say: renuncié (I quit my job), and state the reasons or soften the blow before saying it I’ve got you covered right here.
Renuncio.
I quit.
I will not be able to keep working here.
No podré seguir trabajando aquí.
A partir del próximo martes no podré continuar trabajando con ustedes.
Starting next Tuesday, I will not be able to continue working with you.
Common Reasons to Quit Your Job in Spanish
Tengo que renunciar porque tengo que mudarme.
I have got to quit because I need to move.
Tengo que dedicarme al cuidado de mi madre y, desafortunadamente, no tengo tiempo para ambas cosas.
I have got to dedicate to taking care of my mother and, unfortunately, I don’t have time for both things.
Intenté expresar mis problemas varias veces con la empresa y jamás me escucharon.
I tried to express my problems several times to the company, and they never listened to me.
Ya no soy feliz trabajando aquí.
I am no longer happy working here.
Necesito dedicarme a mis proyectos personales.
I need to dedicate myself to my personal projects.
No puedo crecer ni desarrollarme más aquí.
I cannot grow or develop myself further here.
Mi ciclo aquí ha terminado y no puedo darle nada más a esta empresa.
My cycle here has come to an end, and I cannot give anything else to this company.
Mis valores ya no son compatibles con los de la empresa.
My values no longer align with the company’s.
Delivering the Final Words after Leaving in Spanish
In Spanish, we have a saying: Es de bien nacido ser agradecido which roughly translates to: being thankful is polite. Thanking your employer for the opportunity is essential no matter the circumstances in which you left the company. Here are some ways to do so:
Quiero agradecerles por la oportunidad.
I want to thank you for the opportunity.
Les agradezco mucho el tiempo que tuvimos juntos.
Thank you very much for the time we had together.
Espero que sus puertas queden abiertas para futuras oportunidades.
I hope that your doors stay open for future opportunities.
¿Me podrían escribir una carta de recomendación?
Could you write me a recommendation letter?
¿Podría mantener su número en mis referencias laborales?
Could I keep your number in my work references?
Writing a Resignation Letter in Spanish
If talking is not your thing, a resignation letter might be a better path to quit your job. Here are some sentences you could use.
Quisiera informarles que he decidido renunciar debido a que…
I would like to inform you that I have decided to quit due to…
Esta renuncia se hará efectiva dentro de 2 semanas.
This resignation will take effect within two weeks.
No quisiera acabar la carta sin agradecerles por la oportunidad y el tiempo brindado.
I wouldn’t want to finish the letter without thanking you for the opportunity and given time.
Estoy disponible para proveer la ayuda necesaria para lograr esta transición de la manera más fluida posible.
I am ready to provide assistance to make this transition the smoothest way possible.
Slang Words for Work in Spanish
As you know, Spanish is a diverse language with tons of different ways to say things. Here are a few informal ways to say “job” (and “to work”) in Spanish-speaking countries.
la chamba (chambear) – Mexico, Venezuela, and Ecuador
el chance (chancear) – Guatemala
el laburo (laburar) – Argentina and Uruguay
el camello (camellar) – Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador
el jornal (jornalear) – Colombia
el brete (bretear) – Costa Rica
la pincha (pinchar) – Cuba
la pega – Chile
el curro (currar) – Spain
FUN FACT! The word laburo used in Argentina and Uruguay comes from the Italian “lavorare,” which means “to work.”
Practice your Job-Related Vocabulary
I hope this vocabulary guide to talking about your job in Spanish has been helpful. Now you’re all set up to get a job in Spanish, ace a job interview, and score the position of your dreams.
Practice makes perfect, so sign up for a free class at Homeschool Spanish Academy to take your Spanish to a whole new level and feel more confident before an interview. Our friendly, certified teachers from Guatemala will help you expand your vocabulary and learn new ways to express yourself.
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