English toolkit / vocabulary / version 06

WORK.

The people, skills and everyday language you need to talk about working life.

118 entries14 topic areas31 consolidate · 87 extend
Consolidate Revisit familiar languageExtend Build your rangeEssentials first, then extensions within every section.
01

People at work

People first

7 entries
PersonConsolidate

coworker / colleague

Compañero/a de trabajo

“Ask a coworker for help.”
PersonConsolidate

employee

Empleado/a

“The company has fifty employees.”
PersonConsolidate

employer

Persona o entidad que emplea

“My employer provides training.”
PersonExtend

temporary employee

Empleado/a temporal; útil para explicar un puesto interino

“I work as a temporary teacher at a state school.”
PersonExtend

intern

Persona en prácticas

“She is working as an intern at a museum.”
PersonExtend

trainee

Persona que se está formando para un puesto

“He is a trainee teacher.”
PersonExtend

civil servant

Funcionario/a de la Administración pública

“My sister works as a civil servant.”
02

Employment & life

Employment status & family roles

8 entries
Employment statusConsolidate

be employed

Tener empleo

“She is employed by a local company.”
Employment statusConsolidate

be unemployed / out of work

Estar en paro; no tener empleo

“He is currently unemployed and looking for work.”
Employment statusConsolidate

be retired

Estar jubilado/a

“My parents are retired.”
Employment statusExtend

be self-employed

Trabajar por cuenta propia

“I’m self-employed and work with several clients.”
Employment statusExtend

be on sick leave

Estar de baja por enfermedad

“A colleague is on sick leave.”
Employment statusExtend

be on maternity / paternity leave

Estar de permiso de maternidad / paternidad

“He is on paternity leave.”
Person / statusExtend

a homemaker

Persona dedicada al trabajo doméstico y los cuidados de su hogar

“She is a full-time homemaker.”
Person / incomeExtend

the sole breadwinner

Única persona que aporta ingresos laborales al hogar

“She is the sole breadwinner in her family.”
03

Fields & sectors

Where people work

13 entries
SectorConsolidate

education

Educación; sector educativo

“I work in education.”
SectorConsolidate

tourism

Turismo

“Many local jobs depend on tourism.”
Sector / fieldConsolidate

IT / information technology

Informática; tecnologías de la información

“He works in IT support.”
NounExtend

a field

Campo profesional o de especialización

“I’d like to work in the field of education.”
NounExtend

a sector

Sector de actividad económica

“She works in the tourism sector.”
SectorsExtend

the public / private sector

Sector público / privado

“He moved from the private sector to the public sector.”
SectorExtend

healthcare

Sanidad; atención sanitaria

“There is a growing demand for staff in healthcare.”
SectorExtend

construction

Construcción

“She works in the construction industry.”
SectorExtend

finance

Finanzas

“He is looking for a career in finance.”
SectorExtend

agriculture

Agricultura

“Her family works in agriculture.”
SectorExtend

retail

Comercio minorista; venta al público

“She works in retail.”
SectorExtend

hospitality

Hostelería

“He has experience in hospitality, mainly in hotels.”
SectorExtend

manufacturing

Fabricación industrial

“The region has many jobs in manufacturing.”
04

Pay & income

Earnings & household income

9 entries
IncomeConsolidate

salary

Sueldo; remuneración fija que suele expresarse por mes o año

“The job offers an annual salary of €30,000.”
IncomeExtend

wages

Salario; a menudo calculado por horas o semanas

“The workers are asking for higher wages.”
IncomeExtend

income

Ingresos; pueden proceder del trabajo o de otras fuentes. A steady income: ingresos regulares y estables

“My income varies from month to month.”
Verb phraseExtend

earn a living

Ganarse la vida

“She earns a living as a translator.”
Noun phraseExtend

minimum wage

Salario mínimo

“The job pays the minimum wage.”
Noun phraseExtend

a pay rise

Subida de sueldo; inglés británico

“Staff have asked for a pay rise.”
Pay & conditionsExtend

paid / unpaid leave

Permiso remunerado / no remunerado

“I took a week of unpaid leave.”
Noun phraseExtend

take-home pay

Sueldo neto; lo que recibes tras las deducciones

“My take-home pay is lower than my gross salary.”
IdiomExtend

make ends meet

Llegar a fin de mes

“It’s difficult to make ends meet on one income.”
05

Contracts & schedules

Contracts, hours & shifts

10 entries
Contract / hoursConsolidate

a full-time / part-time contract

Contrato a jornada completa / parcial

“I’m looking for a part-time contract.”
Working hoursConsolidate

working hours

Horario o duración de la jornada

“What are the working hours?”
Contract typeExtend

a permanent contract

Contrato indefinido

“She has a permanent contract.”
Contract typeExtend

a temporary contract

Contrato temporal. A fixed-term contract: contrato con una duración determinada, por ejemplo, seis meses
a short-term contract: a contract for a short period. Temporary describes a non-permanent arrangement; short-term emphasizes duration.

“I’m on a temporary contract at the moment.”
Work arrangementExtend

seasonal work

Trabajo de temporada

“There is plenty of seasonal work in tourism.”
Working hoursExtend

flexible working hours

Horario flexible

“Flexible working hours help me organise childcare.”
Working hoursExtend

work shifts / shift work

Trabajar a turnos / trabajo por turnos. Work the night shift: trabajar en el turno de noche

“Nurses often work shifts.”
Working hoursExtend

work nine to five

Trabajar de nueve a cinco; horario de oficina habitual

“She works nine to five, Monday to Friday.”
Working hoursExtend

work overtime

Hacer horas extra

“We sometimes work overtime during busy periods.”
Working hoursExtend

work a split shift

Trabajar con una jornada partida en dos tramos separados

“I work a split shift, with a long break in the afternoon.”
06

Remote work & technology

On-site, hybrid & remote

8 entries
Work arrangementConsolidate

work from home

Trabajar desde casa

“I work from home two days a week.”
Digital taskConsolidate

join a video call

Conectarse a una videollamada

“I’ll join the video call at ten.”
Digital taskConsolidate

share your screen

Compartir pantalla

“Could you share your screen so we can see the report?”
Useful languageConsolidate

replace workers

Sustituir a trabajadores

“Some people worry that AI will replace workers.”
Work arrangementExtend

remote work / work remotely

Trabajo a distancia / trabajar a distancia

“The company allows staff to work remotely.”
Work arrangementExtend

work on site

Trabajar presencialmente en el lugar de trabajo

“Technicians need to work on site.”
Work arrangementExtend

hybrid working

Trabajo híbrido: combina presencia y distancia

“Hybrid working suits our team.”
Useful languageExtend

automation / automate tasks

Automatización / automatizar tareas

“Automation can save time by taking over repetitive tasks.”
07

Skills & strengths

What you can do

7 entries
Noun phraseConsolidate

communication skills

Habilidades de comunicación

“The role requires good communication skills.”
AdjectiveConsolidate

reliable

Fiable; de confianza. Para personas y cosas: a reliable colleague / a reliable internet connection

“We need someone reliable who meets deadlines.”
NounExtend

teamwork

Trabajo en equipo

“Teamwork is essential in a busy workplace.”
Noun phraseExtend

organisational skills

Capacidad de organización

“Teaching requires strong organisational skills.”
Noun phraseExtend

time management

Gestión del tiempo

“I need to improve my time management.”
Noun phraseExtend

problem-solving skills

Capacidad para resolver problemas

“This job helps you develop problem-solving skills.”
Noun phraseExtend

soft skills / hard skills

Soft skills: habilidades personales e interpersonales, como la comunicación o el trabajo en equipo. Hard skills: competencias técnicas o específicas, como programar o manejar un programa de contabilidad; incluyen muchas digital skills (competencias digitales)

“The role requires both hard skills, such as coding, and soft skills, such as teamwork.”
08

Places & everyday tasks

Workplaces, daily tasks & paperwork

7 entries
Daily taskConsolidate

check and reply to emails

Consultar y responder el correo

“I check and reply to emails first thing in the morning.”
Phrasal verbConsolidate

fill in a form

Rellenar un formulario

“Please fill in the application form.”
NounExtend

workplace

Lugar o entorno de trabajo

“Safety in the workplace matters.”
Verb phraseExtend

schedule a meeting

Programar una reunión

“Could we schedule a meeting for Thursday?”
Verb phraseExtend

deal with complaints

Gestionar quejas

“Part of my job is dealing with complaints.”
Verb phraseExtend

meet a deadline

Cumplir un plazo

“We need to meet the deadline for the report.”
Uncountable nounExtend

paperwork

Papeleo; documentación administrativa

“There is a lot of paperwork in this job.”
09

Workload & wellbeing

Workload & wellbeing

6 entries
Noun phraseExtend

a heavy workload

Carga de trabajo elevada

“A heavy workload leaves little time for planning.”
Noun phraseExtend

work-life balance

Conciliación; equilibrio entre trabajo y vida personal

“Flexible hours can improve work-life balance.”
Useful languageExtend

work under pressure

Trabajar bajo presión

“I work well under pressure, but I need regular breaks.”
Noun phraseExtend

job satisfaction

Satisfacción laboral

“Helping people gives me job satisfaction.”
Useful languageExtend

burnout / feel burnt out

Agotamiento por estrés laboral prolongado / sentirse agotado por ello

“After months of working overtime, she felt burnt out.”
Useful languageExtend

switch off after work

Desconectar del trabajo

“I find it hard to switch off after work.”
10

What is the job like?

Positive, negative & mixed descriptions

8 entries
Useful languageConsolidate

interesting

Interesante

“My job is interesting because I meet people from different backgrounds.”
Useful languageConsolidate

boring

Aburrido

“The work can be boring when there is very little to do.”
Useful languageConsolidate

stressful

Estresante

“Dealing with angry customers can be stressful.”
Useful languageExtend

rewarding

Gratificante; aporta satisfacción por sus resultados

“Helping students gain confidence is rewarding.”
Useful languageExtend

fulfilling

Satisfactorio a nivel personal; aporta una sensación de realización

“I find my work fulfilling because I can make a difference.”
Useful languageExtend

challenging

Exigente; supone un reto que puede ser estimulante

“The job is challenging, but I enjoy solving problems.”
Useful languageExtend

demanding

Exigente; requiere mucho esfuerzo, tiempo o atención

“Nursing is physically and emotionally demanding.”
Useful languageExtend

repetitive

Repetitivo

“The work is repetitive: I do the same tasks all day.”
11

Career changes & job security

Starting, progressing & leaving a job

9 entries
Useful languageConsolidate

lose your job

Perder el empleo

“He lost his job when the factory closed.”
Useful languageConsolidate

change careers

Cambiar de profesión o trayectoria profesional

“I’m thinking of changing careers and becoming a nurse.”
Useful languageExtend

get a job / be hired

Conseguir un empleo / ser contratado

“She was hired as an office assistant.”
Useful languageExtend

get promoted

Ascender en el trabajo

“He got promoted to team leader.”
Useful languageExtend

quit your job / resign

Dejar el trabajo voluntariamente / dimitir (más formal)

“She quit her job to start her own business.”
Useful languageExtend

get fired / get sacked

Ser despedido; get sacked es informal y especialmente británico

“He got sacked for repeatedly missing shifts without permission.”
Useful languageExtend

be made redundant / be laid off

Perder el puesto por motivos empresariales; laid off puede ser temporal en algunos contextos

“She was made redundant when her department closed.”
Useful languageExtend

job security

Estabilidad laboral; confianza en conservar el empleo

“Job security matters more to me than a high salary.”
Useful languageExtend

retrain

Formarse para una nueva profesión o actividad

“He retrained as an electrician after losing his job.”
12

Applications & job interviews

Finding a role & presenting your experience

12 entries
Verb phraseConsolidate

apply for a job

Solicitar un empleo

I’m applying for a job at a local company.
Useful languageConsolidate

a CV / résumé

Currículum; CV es habitual en inglés británico y résumé en estadounidense

“I updated my CV before applying for the job.”
Useful languageConsolidate

a job interview

Entrevista de trabajo

“I have a job interview on Friday.”
Useful languageConsolidate

qualifications

Títulos y cualificaciones que acreditan tu preparación

“What qualifications do you need for this role?”
Noun phraseExtend

a job vacancy

Puesto vacante

The school has advertised a job vacancy.
Noun phraseExtend

relevant experience

Experiencia pertinente para el puesto

Mention your relevant experience in your application.
Useful languageExtend

strengths / weaknesses

Puntos fuertes / puntos débiles

“The interviewer asked me about my strengths and weaknesses.”
Useful languageExtend

a job offer

Oferta de empleo dirigida a una persona seleccionada

“I accepted the job offer after discussing the salary.”
Useful languageExtend

a cover letter

Carta de presentación que acompaña al currículum

“Use your cover letter to explain why you want the role.”
Useful languageExtend

a candidate / applicant

Candidato/a / persona que solicita un puesto

“We interviewed five candidates for the position.”
Useful languageExtend

be shortlisted

Ser preseleccionado para una fase posterior

“I’ve been shortlisted for an interview.”
Useful languageExtend

references

Referencias profesionales; información de personas que pueden recomendarte

“The employer asked for two references.”
13

Relationships & productivity

Working with others & organising tasks

7 entries
Useful languageConsolidate

get on well with colleagues

Llevarse bien con los compañeros

“I get on well with my colleagues.”
Useful languageConsolidate

support each other

Apoyarse mutuamente

“We support each other when work gets stressful.”
Useful languageExtend

share the workload

Repartirse la carga de trabajo

“We share the workload so nobody has to stay late.”
Useful languageExtend

resolve a conflict

Resolver un conflicto

“Our manager helped us resolve a conflict over responsibilities.”
Useful languageExtend

prioritise tasks

Ordenar las tareas según su importancia o urgencia

“I prioritise tasks at the start of each day.”
Useful languageExtend

delegate tasks

Delegar tareas

“A good manager knows when to delegate tasks.”
Useful languageExtend

productivity

Productividad; relación entre lo que se produce y los recursos empleados

“Constant interruptions can reduce productivity.”
14

Rights & working conditions

Fair treatment, safety & representation

7 entries
Useful languageExtend

working conditions

Condiciones laborales

“Better working conditions can help companies keep their staff.”
Useful languageExtend

workers’ rights

Derechos de los trabajadores

“Workers’ rights include protection against unfair treatment.”
Useful languageExtend

health and safety

Salud y seguridad en el trabajo

“All new employees receive health and safety training.”
Useful languageExtend

equal pay

Igualdad salarial

“They are campaigning for equal pay for equal work.”
Useful languageExtend

a trade union

Sindicato

“The trade union represents workers in pay negotiations.”
Useful languageExtend

workplace discrimination

Discriminación en el trabajo

“The company needs clear procedures for reporting workplace discrimination.”
Useful languageExtend

go on strike

Ir a la huelga

“The workers voted to go on strike over pay and conditions.”

Useful distinctions

Small distinctions that help you choose the right expression.