Basic Spanish Workplace Vocabulary for Beginners
Being able to speak Spanish in the workplace is beneficial.
The fact is, the more globalized the world becomes, the more we interact with people from other cultures and other countries. 22 countries around the world speak Spanish as an official language.
That amounts to roughly 543,000,000 Spanish-speakers around the world, which means we are 6% of the world population!
Read this blog post to learn essential Spanish workplace vocabulary including:
- Work and job related words – Palabras relacionadas con el trabajo
- Employees and workers – Empleados y trabajadores
- Objects around the office – Objetos alrededor de la oficina
Let’s get to work!
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The Importance of Being Bilingual in the Workplace
Do you ever wonder about the benefits of speaking Spanish in the workplace? Being bilingual has many benefits, such as:
- Being mentally stronger for a longer time
- Improving your language-learning skills
- Increasing your awareness of other cultures
As a bilingual person, I can tell you that speaking two languages is not only awesome and fulfilling but also useful. By speaking English and Spanish, I can visit any country in at least two continents (the Americas and Oceania) without having to learn another language.
Being bilingual opens a whole new world for you, culturally and professionally speaking. Companies such as AT&T and National Vision seek bilingual employees, according to this article.
PRO TIP: Learn to build rapport with total strangers.
Trabajar Conjugation
When it comes to Spanish in the workplace, it’s important to learn the verb for “to work” in Spanish, trabajar. Let’s learn how to conjugate the verb trabajar in five tenses.
Simple Present – El presente del indicativo
Simple Past – El pretérito del indicativo
Simple Future – El futuro del indicativo
Simple Past – El imperfecto del indicativo
Present Perfect – El pretérito perfecto
Example Sentences in Spanish
Yo trabajo como agente libre escribiendo.
I work as a freelance writer.
Mi abuela trabajó como enfermera hace muchos años.
My grandmother worked as a nurse many years ago.
Mi abuelo trabajaba como director de un banco.
My grandfather used to work as a bank director.
Nunca he trabajado con niños.
I have never worked with children.
Trabajabamos en ventas hasta el año pasado.
We used to work in sales up until last year.
PRO TIP: Remember that People in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Argentina, Uruguay, and some Latin American cities use el voseo. Don’t forget that the pronoun usted is the formal “you.”
Spanish in the Workplace: Work and Job Vocabulary
| English | Spanish |
| job | el trabajo |
| labor | la labor, el oficio |
| occupation | la ocupación, el oficio |
| position | la posición |
| profession | la profesión |
| work | el trabajo |
Example Sentences in Spanish
Mi hermano tiene una posición de cajero en su trabajo.
My brother has a position as a cashier at work.
La profesión de mi padre es administración de empresas.
My father’s profession is business management.
Spanish in the Workplace: Commerce Words
| English | Spanish |
| exporter | el exportador, la exportadora |
| importer | el importador, la importadora |
| manufacturer | el manufacturador, el fabricante |
| offer | la oferta |
| opportunities | las oportunidades |
| profit | las ganancias |
| purchase | la compra, la adquisición |
| savings | los ahorros |
| shares | las acciones |
| stock exchange | el mercado de acciones |
| strengths | las fortalezas |
| weaknesses | las debilidades |
Example Sentences in Spanish
El fabricante no podrá cumplir con la órden a tiempo.
The manufacturer will not be able to deliver the order on time.
Las debilidades del negocio son muy claras.
The business’ weaknesses are very clear.
Spanish in the Workplace: Employers
There are many places to work and professions in Spanish. Here’s a list of workplaces related to business in Spanish.
| English | Spanish |
| agency | la agencia |
| business firm | la firma de negocios |
| company | la compañía |
| corporation | la corporación |
| enterprise | la empresa |
| factory | la fábrica |
| firm | la firma |
| office | la oficina |
| plant | la planta |
Example Sentences in Spanishs
Mi esposa trabajó en una oficina.
My wife worked in an office.
Él y yo trabajamos en una agencia de publicidad.
He and I work in an advertising agency.
Esa compañía de seguros no trabaja bien.
That insurance company does not work well.
Parts of a Company in Spanish
A good business Spanish vocabulary includes knowing how to refer to parts of a company. Certain departamentos (departments) are present in a company.
| English | Spanish |
| accounting | la contabilidad |
| customer service | el servicio al cliente |
| finance | las finanzas |
| human resources (HR) | los recursos humanos (RRHH) |
| management | la gerencia |
| marketing | el marketing |
| public relations | las relaciones públicas |
| purchasing | las compras |
| research | la investigación |
| sales | las ventas |
| technical support | el soporte técnico |
Example Sentences in Spanish
¿Trabajas en el departamento de ventas?
Do you work in the sales department?
Recursos Humanos no se ocupa de esos trámites.
Human Resources does not see those procedures.
El departamento de servicio al cliente es el que tiene más empleados.
The department of customer service is the one with the most employees.
Spanish in the Workplace: Employees and Workers
Every company has different workers and positions, but many major companies have these on their personal (personnel/staff).
| English | Spanish |
| accountant | el contador, la contadora |
| CEO, chairperson | el presidente |
| director of… | el director, la directora de… |
| executive director | el director, la directora ejecutivo(a) |
| freelancer | el agente libre |
| manager | el, la gerente |
| owner | el dueño, la dueña |
| president | el presidente |
| shareholder | el, la accionista |
| vice president | el vicepresidente, la vicepresidenta |
Example Sentences in Spanish
Los accionistas de Tesla están contentos.
Tesla’s shareholders are happy.
El gerente entra a las nueve de la mañana.
The manager comes in at nine a.m..
El director ejecutivo estará en la reunión de hoy.
The executive director is going to be at the meeting today.
Spanish in the Workplace: Objects Around the Office
Spanish in the workplace has many branches. One of them is the physical things you find around the office.
| English | Spanish |
| computer | la computadora, el computador, el ordenador |
| desk | el escritorio |
| document | el documento |
| file | el archivo |
| keyboard | el teclado |
| laptop | la computadora portatil |
| paperwork | la papelería, la documentación |
| pen | el bolígrafo, la pluma, el lapicero |
| pencil | el lápiz |
| report | el reporte, el informe |
Learn Spanish and Improve Your Performance at Work
Learning this workplace Spanish vocabulary is a great start, but it can only take you so far! Learning Spanish in today’s world is a must. To become fluent, you have to practice and develop your skills.
By becoming bilingual you can earn between $50,000 and $125,000 more. With the extra money, you can visit many destinations in Latin America like Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, and many more.
Sign up for a free trial class today, and join Homeschool Spanish Academy’s 24,000-student community! With over 10 years of experience, Homeschool Spanish Academy offers flexible class scheduling, high school credit, and live classes that help you learn Spanish in a way that’s both authentic and effective. Check out our payment and pricing options, and start learning Spanish now!
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