trabajar un poco
/tɾabaxaɾ un poko/from spelling rules
To say 'do some work' in Spanish, use trabajar un poco.
This phrase is used to describe spending a short amount of time performing a task or a job.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb trabajar (to work) and the adverbial phrase un poco (a little/a bit).
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the past tense 'did some work', you must conjugate the verb trabajar into the preterite form. For example, trabajé un poco means 'I did some work'.
Did you know?
- The verb trabajar has a dark history, as it is believed to stem from the Late Latin word for a 'torture instrument'.
- While un poco means 'a little', the phrase un poco de nada can be used ironically to describe a task that actually requires a great deal of effort.
- Spanish uses the same verb trabajar for both professional employment and the physical act of crafting something by hand.
Examples in context
- Lo que hace a los clásicos tanto intrigantes como fascinantes es que están lo suficientemente cerca para sentir la similitud y están lo suficientemente lejos para tener que trabajar un poco y acortar distancias.What makes the classics both intriguing and fascinating is that they're near enough that we can feel the similarity and they're distant enough that we have to do some work to bridge the gap.This sentence shows how to use trabajar un poco in the context of putting effort into bridging a gap.Tatoeba #3179738 by nicozerpa, translation #978221 by sacredceltic
- Hoy tenemos que hacer mucho trabajo.Today we have to do a lot of work.
- Necesito realizar el trabajo que me asignaste.I need to do the work you assigned me.
- Vamos a llevar a cabo un trabajo importante la próxima semana.We are going to do an important job next week.
- Después de la pausa, hay que trabajar un poco más.After the break, we need to work a little more.
- Voy a meterle mano al trabajo para terminarlo hoy.I'm going to do some work to finish it today.
- Tengo que trabajar un poco antes de salir.I have to do some work before going out.
- Si voy a trabajar un poco, terminaré pronto.If I do some work, I will finish soon.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are talking in their living room in the evening.
- Alejandro¿Quieres ir al cine ahora?Do you want to go to the cinema now?
- SofíaNo, primero tengo que trabajar un poco en la oficina.No, first I have to do some work in the office.
- AlejandroEstá bien, yo te espero.That's fine, I will wait for you.
- SofíaGracias, Alejandro, estaré lista en media hora.Thanks, Alejandro, I will be ready in half an hour.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries poco, trabajar, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
