concéntrate
/konθentɾate/from spelling rules
To say 'stay on task' in Spanish, you can use concéntrate.
This phrase is used to tell someone to continue focusing their attention on the work they are supposed to be doing.
Which one should you use?
Quédate enfocado/a and mantente enfocado both mean 'stay focused', and No te distraigas is used specifically to warn someone not to get distracted. If you want to encourage someone to keep working without stopping, you can use Sigue trabajando, no te pares. For emphasizing the fulfillment of specific responsibilities, you can use Siga trabajando en lo que le corresponde.
How does it change in a sentence?
When giving a command to a single person, you use the imperative form. Use concéntrate en la tarea for an informal setting, concéntrese en la tarea for a formal setting and concéntrense en la tarea when addressing a group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
/konθentɾate/
Did you know?
- If a task is taking too long and someone is losing focus, a Spaniard might say no te cuelgues, which literally means 'do not hang yourself' in a metaphorical sense of 'do not lag'.
- In a professional Spanish environment, asking someone to ponerse las pilas is a slang way of telling them to stay on task or wake up and start working hard.
- To tell someone to stop wandering off-task in a more colloquial way, you might say no te vayas por las ramas, which means 'do not go through the branches'.
Examples in context
- Recuerde que el éxito se alcanza cuando todos siguen trabajando en lo que les corresponde. ¡Manténgase en la tarea!Remember, success is achieved when everyone stays focused on their responsibilities. Stay on task!
- Vamos, terminemos esta tarea juntos. ¡Quédate enfocado/a!Come on, let's finish this task together. Stay focused!
- Oye, hay mucho por hacer. No te distraigas con el teléfono.Hey, there's a lot to do. Don't get distracted with your phone.
- El resultado será gratificante. Sigue trabajando, no te pares ahora.The outcome will be rewarding. Keep working, don't stop now.
- Concéntrate en el informe ahora.Focus on the report now.
- Concéntrate, que el examen es difícil.Focus, the exam is difficult.
- Por favor, concéntrate en tus estudios.Please, focus on your studies.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are studying in a library.
- LucíaAlejandro, concéntrate en el libro.Alejandro, stay on task with the book.
- AlejandroLo siento, Lucía, me distraje.I'm sorry, Lucía, I got distracted.
- LucíaTenemos que terminar esto hoy.We have to finish this today.
- AlejandroTienes razón, seguiré trabajando.You're right, I will keep working.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
