trabaja
/tɾabaxa/from spelling rules
trabaja is the Spanish way to say "works" or "work".
The expression Trabajar duro translates to "work hard" in English.
Which one should you use?
In contrast, trabajas is the informal "tú" form for "you work".
How does it change in a sentence?
The form trabaja is the third-person singular present indicative of the verb trabajar, meaning "he/she/it works" or "you (formal) work".
How do you pronounce it?
/tɾabaxa/
Did you know?
- The word trabajar comes from the Latin tripalium, which was a three-staked instrument used for torture. This reveals a historical link between the concept of 'work' and physical suffering.
- The Spanish term for a 'workaholic' is often trabajólico, a loanword hybrid combining trabajo with the English suffix '-holic'.
- Spanish uses the verb trabajar to describe things that function, such as a machine or a clock, whereas English speakers typically use 'work' or 'run'.
Examples in context
- Mi amigo trabaja en una tienda de ropaMy friend works in a clothing store
- La señorita López trabaja en el bancoMiss López works at the bank
- Él trabaja en un banco.He works in a bank.
- Mi padre trabaja mucho.My father works a lot.
- Ella trabaja todos los días.She works every day.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are talking about a friend's new job.
- Daniel¿Dónde trabaja tu hermano?Where does your brother work?
- MaríaÉl trabaja en una tienda.He works in a shop.
- Daniel¿Él trabaja los fines de semana?Does he work on weekends?
- MaríaNo, él no trabaja los domingos.No, he does not work on Sundays.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
