trabajar
“trabajar” means “to work” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to work
Also: to labor
📝 In Action
Mi hermana trabaja en un hospital.
A1My sister works in a hospital.
Necesito trabajar mañana por la mañana.
A1I need to work tomorrow morning.
¿En qué te gustaría trabajar en el futuro?
A2What would you like to work as in the future?
to work
Also: to function, to run
📝 In Action
El aire acondicionado no trabaja.
A2The air conditioning doesn't work.
¿Sabes por qué la impresora no trabaja?
B1Do you know why the printer isn't working?
Este plan no va a trabajar.
B1This plan isn't going to work.
to work on
Also: to develop, to till
📝 In Action
El artesano trabaja el cuero con mucha habilidad.
B1The artisan works the leather with great skill.
Tenemos que trabajar más la presentación antes de la reunión.
B2We have to work on the presentation more before the meeting.
Los agricultores trabajan la tierra para prepararla para la siembra.
B2The farmers work the land to prepare it for planting.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "trabajar" in Spanish:
to develop→to function→to labor→to run→to till→to work→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: trabajar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence is correct?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'tripāliāre', which meant 'to torture'. It referred to a Roman torture device with three stakes called a 'tripalium'. Over time, the meaning softened from 'to suffer' to 'to make an effort' and finally to what we know today as 'to work'.
First recorded: 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'trabajar' and 'funcionar'?
For people, you must use 'trabajar'. For machines or systems, you can often use either! 'Funcionar' is a bit more specific and technical, like 'to function', while 'trabajar' is more general and common in everyday speech. You can't go wrong saying 'Mi coche no trabaja'.
How do I say 'I am working' right now?
You use a special form called the present progressive. Say 'Estoy trabajando'. It's formed with the verb 'estar' (estoy) + the '-ando' form of the verb (trabajando).