🏢 Office Life - La oficina

Aa ⏱ ≈ 15 minutes

Beginner Spanish · At work

Workplace Spanish

Workplace Spanish becomes practical when you can talk about meetings, reports, emails, deadlines, and the tasks you are working on right now.

Your next small win: ask about a meeting, explain what you are working on, talk about a deadline, request help with a document, and say what you have to finish.

Start with the workplace

Core Workplace Vocabulary

These words cover people, documents, and activities that appear often in an office or workplace.

oficina
Office
jefe / jefa
Boss
compañero / compañera de trabajo
Coworker / colleague
reunión
Meeting
proyecto
Project
informe
Report

Name four workplace words

Say “office, meeting, project, and report” in Spanish.

More workplace vocabulary
correo electrónico
Email
documento
Document
fecha límite
Deadline
horario
Schedule
archivo
File
carpeta
Folder

Regional note: for computer, computadora is common in much of Latin America, while ordenador is common in Spain.

Say what is happening now

Estar + Gerundio for Current Work

Use estar + gerundio when you want to emphasize that a task is happening right now.

Estoy trabajando en el informe.
I'm working on the report.
Estoy revisando un documento.
I'm reviewing a document.
Estoy escribiendo un correo electrónico.
I'm writing an email.
Estamos preparando la presentación.
We're preparing the presentation.
Estamos trabajando en el proyecto.
We're working on the project.

Pattern: estoy trabajando means “I am working,” while estamos preparando means “we are preparing.” Use this structure when the action is in progress.

Describe two current tasks

Say that you are working on the report and that your team is preparing the presentation.

Talk about responsibilities

Tener Que and Deadlines

Use tener que + infinitive for tasks and responsibilities that need to be completed.

Tengo que terminar el informe hoy.
I have to finish the report today.
Tenemos que enviar los documentos antes del viernes.
We have to send the documents before Friday.
Necesito enviar este correo antes de la reunión.
I need to send this email before the meeting.
¿Cuál es la fecha límite?
What is the deadline?
¿Cuándo tenemos que terminar el proyecto?
When do we have to finish the project?
La fecha límite es el viernes.
The deadline is Friday.

Two useful ideas: tener que expresses an obligation, while fecha límite names the deadline itself.

Checking a deadline

A
¿Cuándo tenemos que terminar el proyecto?
When do we have to finish the project?
B
La fecha límite es el viernes.
The deadline is Friday.
A
Entonces tenemos que terminar el informe antes del viernes.
Then we have to finish the report before Friday.

Talk about a deadline

Say that you have to finish the report today, then ask what the deadline is.

Coordinate with coworkers

Meetings, Documents, and Teamwork

These phrases help you check meeting details and ask a coworker for help with a project or document.

Tengo una reunión a las diez.
I have a meeting at ten.
¿A qué hora es la reunión?
What time is the meeting?
¿Tengo que preparar algo?
Do I have to prepare anything?
¿Puedes revisar este documento?
Can you review this document?
¿Puedes ayudarme con este proyecto?
Can you help me with this project?
¿Puedes ayudarme a revisar este documento?
Can you help me review this document?

Useful pattern: ayudar a + infinitive, as in ayudarme a revisar, means “help me to review” or more naturally “help me review.”

Preparing for a meeting

A
¿A qué hora es la reunión de hoy?
What time is today's meeting?
B
Es a las diez de la mañana.
It's at ten in the morning.
A
¿Tengo que preparar algo?
Do I have to prepare anything?
B
Sí, por favor trae el informe del proyecto.
Yes, please bring the project report.

Coordinate with a coworker

Ask what time the meeting is and ask a coworker to help you review a document.

Your turn · 8 quick questions

Practice: At Work

Choose the answer that best fits each situation. Focus on meetings, reports, current tasks, deadlines, and asking coworkers for help.

Audio uses your device's Spanish text-to-speech voice. Listen to each phrase, then practice talking about meetings, current tasks, deadlines, and teamwork.