¿A qué te dedicas?
The English phrase "what do you do?" is translated into Spanish as ¿A qué te dedicas?
In casual settings, you can also use the friendly expression ¿A qué te dedicas de la vida? to ask what someone does in life.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿A qué te dedicas? literally translates to "To what do you dedicate yourself?"
Which one should you use?
Be careful not to confuse this with ¿Qué haces?, which more commonly refers to what a person is doing at this exact moment. ¿A qué te dedicas? specifically asks about a person's occupation.
How does it change in a sentence?
To maintain a formal register when speaking to someone you address as usted, use the form ¿A qué se dedica?
What mistakes should you avoid?
When responding to this question, English speakers often mistakenly include the indefinite article un/una. Instead of saying Soy un médico, you should say Soy médico.
When do people say it?
A natural way to respond to this question is to say Soy… followed by your profession, such as Soy profesor.
Did you know?
- The word qué is derived from the Latin 'quid', which is the same root used for the English word 'quid' meaning a British pound sterling.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, people may respond to this question by mentioning their degree or a passion project rather than their current payroll job.
- The word dedicas comes from the verb dedicar, which shares a root with the English word 'dedicate', both tracing back to Latin meanings of giving or devoting.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel meet for the first time at a party.
- ElenaMucho gusto, Daniel. ¿A qué te dedicas?Nice to meet you, Daniel. What do you do?
- DanielHola, Elena. Soy ingeniero mecánico.Hi, Elena. I am a mechanical engineer.
- Elena¡Qué interesante! ¿Te gusta tu trabajo?How interesting! Do you like your job?
- DanielSí, me encanta diseñar máquinas.Yes, I love designing machines.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries A, a, qué, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
