está trabajando
/esta tɾabaxando/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "he is working" is expressed as está trabajando.
This phrase describes a person who is currently engaged in a job or task. You can also use Él está ocupado trabajando to convey that he is occupied with a specific work task or project, or Él está liado trabajando to say he is busy working.
Which one should you use?
The phrase está trabajando emphasizes an action that is currently in progress. In contrast, the simple present trabaja is used to describe a general habit or a permanent state of employment.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the colloquial expression Él está en el curro is used to mean "he is working".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the present continuous construction. This consists of the auxiliary verb estar in the third-person singular and the present participle (gerund) of trabajar.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the infinitive está trabajar instead of the gerund está trabajando when forming the continuous tense.
Did you know?
- While está trabajando means 'he is working', the verb trabajar originates from the Latin tripalium, which was a three-pronged instrument of torture.
- In Spain, the slang term curro for work is thought by some to come from the old word currar, which referred to the noise of a machine or the act of tinkering.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, está trabajando can refer specifically to the act of tilling or farming a piece of land.
Examples in context
- Él está trabajando mucho para ponerse al nivel de los demás.He is working hard to catch up with the others.This sentence shows the phrase está trabajando being used to describe working hard to reach a certain level.Tatoeba #1672477 by teskmon, translation #301059 by CK
- Está trabajando duro para aprobar el examen de ingreso.He is working hard in order to pass the entrance examination.This sentence uses está trabajando to describe working hard to pass an entrance exam.Tatoeba #855102 by Coyolxauhqui, translation #302293 by CK
- Él está trabajando en su oficinaHe is working in his office
- Él se encuentra trabajando como abogadoHe is working as a lawyer
- No puedo hablar ahora, él está en el curroI can't talk now, he's at work
- Lo siento, él está liado trabajando en este proyectoI'm sorry, he's busy working on this project
- ¿Dónde está Juan? – Él está trabajandoWhere is Juan? – He is working
- No puede hablar ahora porque está trabajando.He cannot talk now because he is working.
Example conversation
Sofía calls Daniel to ask if his brother can go out.
- Sofía¿Sabes si tu hermano está libre?Do you know if your brother is free?
- DanielNo, él está trabajando en la oficina.No, he is working in the office.
- SofíaEntiendo, ¿terminará pronto?I see, will he finish soon?
- DanielCreo que sí, te avisaré.I think so, I will let you know.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
