trabaje
/trah-BAH-heh/
that I work
The subjunctive form of trabajar (to work), meaning "that I work."
trabaje(Verb)
that I work
?as in 'I hope that I work'
,that he/she/it work
?as in 'It's important that he work'
,that you work (formal)
?as in 'I want you (formal) to work'
may work
?expressing possibility
📝 In Action
Necesito que mi equipo trabaje más rápido.
B1I need my team to work faster.
Ojalá que yo trabaje desde casa mañana.
B1I hope that I work from home tomorrow.
No creo que él trabaje aquí.
B2I don't think that he works here.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'WEIRDO' Mood
'Trabaje' is used when expressing Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Requests, Doubt, or 'Ojalá.' If the main part of the sentence expresses one of these, the action of working ('trabaje') changes form.
Tense Shift
Even though this form is called 'Present Subjunctive,' it often translates to the English future tense: 'Espero que él trabaje mañana' (I hope he works/will work tomorrow).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong mood after emotion
Mistake: "Me alegra que él trabaja aquí."
Correction: Me alegra que él trabaje aquí. (After emotions like 'alegrarse,' Spanish requires the special verb form, 'trabaje').
⭐ Usage Tips
The 'Que' Trigger
If you see a sentence structure like: [Person 1 verb] + 'que' + [Person 2 verb], the second verb (like 'trabaje') often needs to be in this special form.
The formal command form of trabajar, meaning "Work!" (Usted form).
📝 In Action
Señor García, por favor, trabaje en este proyecto primero.
A2Mr. García, please, work on this project first.
¡Trabaje con nosotros! Su ayuda es vital.
B1Work with us! Your help is vital.
💡 Grammar Points
The Formal Command
To give a formal order to a boss, an elder, or someone you don't know well (usted), you use the same verb form as the 'yo' and 'él/ella' present subjunctive: 'trabaje'.
Negative Commands
To tell someone formally not to work, simply add 'no' before the command: 'No trabaje mañana' (Don't work tomorrow).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the informal command formally
Mistake: "Jefe, trabaja más."
Correction: Jefe, trabaje más. (When addressing a 'Jefe' (Boss), formality requires 'trabaje', not the familiar 'trabaja').
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: trabaje
Question 1 of 2
Which of these sentences correctly uses 'trabaje' as a formal command?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'trabaje' mean 'I work,' 'he/she works,' and 'you (formal) work'?
This is common in the Spanish Subjunctive mood. The forms for 'yo' (I), 'él/ella' (he/she), and 'usted' (you formal) happen to be identical in the present tense of most regular verbs. The context or the subject pronoun tells you who is performing the action.
How do I know if 'trabaje' is a command or a subjunctive verb?
If 'trabaje' is the only verb in the sentence, or if it starts the sentence, it is usually a formal command ('¡Trabaje!'). If it follows 'que' and another verb (like 'espero que...' or 'necesito que...'), it is the subjunctive form.