checar la entrada
/t͡ʃekaɾ la entɾada/from spelling rules
The English phrase "clock in for work" is translated into Spanish as checar la entrada.
This phrase is used to describe the act of recording the time you arrive at your job using a time-tracking system.
Which one should you use?
You may also see marcar la entrada, which literally means "to mark the entrance". In Spain, the verb fichar is more commonly used to describe recording working hours.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The use of the verb checar to mean "to check" or "to clock" is characteristic of Latin American Spanish, particularly in Mexico and surrounding regions.
How do you pronounce it?
/tʃekaɾ la entɾada/
Did you know?
- In Spain, the word fichar is used for clocking in, which comes from the word ficha, meaning a token or chip. This refers to the old system where workers inserted a physical token into a machine.
- The verb checar is an anglicism derived from the English word 'check'. While common in Mexico, it was historically frowned upon by linguistic purists who preferred revisar.
- While checar la entrada is used for clocking in, the opposite action of clocking out is often checar la salida. In Spanish, 'entrance' and 'exit' are used to define the start and end of the workday.
Examples in context
- Antes de iniciar la jornada, no olvides registrar la entrada al trabajo.Before starting the workday, don't forget to record the entrance to work.
- Siempre ficho entrada antes de empezar a trabajar.I always punch in before starting to work.
- No olvides checar la entrada al llegar.Don't forget to clock in when you arrive.
- Tengo que checar la entrada antes de la reunión.I have to clock in before the meeting.
- Él ya fue a checar la entrada.He already went to clock in.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía arrive at the office together.
- MateoHola Sofía, ¿ya vas a checar la entrada?Hi Sofía, are you going to clock in now?
- SofíaSí, voy a hacerlo en un momento.Yes, I'm going to do it in a moment.
- MateoDate prisa o llegarás tarde.Hurry up or you'll be late.
- SofíaTienes razón, voy corriendo.You're right, I'm running.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
